On 2/3/2010 9:23 AM, Alexander Terekhov wrote:
... Absent a license
OK, so we get to ignore this part, since the GPL is a license.
As a general rule, " if the [licensees] improper conduct constitutes a breach of a covenant undertaken by the licensee . . . and if such covenant constitutes an enforceable contractual obligation, then the licensor will have the cause of action for contract," not for copyright infringement. Graham v. James , 144 F.3d 229, 236-37 (2d Cir. 1998) quoting 3 Melville B. Nimmer& David Nimmer, Nimmer on Copyright, 10.15[A] at 10-120 (1998); see also Kolbe v. Trudel , 945 F. Supp. 1268, 1270-71 (D. Ariz. 1996). As the Ninth Circuit explained in Topolos v. Caldewey, 698 F.2d 991, 993 (9th Cir. 1983):
Funny you should mention Graham vs. James. Given your track record, we should expect that the citation contradicts your thesis. Sure enough <http://www.altlaw.org/v1/cases/1090996>: Costello Publ'g Co., 670 F.2d at 1045 ("[E]ven if the counterclaims asserted merely constitute a breach of contract, an action for copyright infringement would lie if the breach is so material that it allows the grantor power to recapture the rights granted so that any further use of the work was without authority."); 3 Nimmer on Copyright, supra, ยง 10.15[A], at 10-123-10-125; see also Lulirama Ltd. v. Axcess Broad. Servs., Inc., 128 F.3d 872, 882-83 (5th Cir.1997) (holding that non-exclusive license is not revocable at will of licensor). Under New York law, rescission is permitted if the breach is "material and willful, or, if not willful, so substantial and fundamental as to strongly tend to defeat the object of the parties in making the contract." Septembertide Publ'g, B.V. v. Stein and Day, Inc., 884 F.2d 675, 678 (2d Cir.1989) _______________________________________________ gnu-misc-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss
