on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:04 in the Usenet newsgroup gmane.linux.mageia.devel Ernest N. Wilcox Jr. wrote:
>> Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:16:24 +0200 >> From: Wolfgang Bornath <[email protected]> >> To: Mageia development mailing-list <mageia-dev- [email protected]> >> Subject: Re: [Mageia-dev] Repository question: where do we put >> non-free+tainted RPMs? > Message-ID: > > <CA+h4nj6KtYu8vUFcZ4mWUO08J5ZyxB5XnN2bsSLoqm8R7w6E=w...@mail.gmail.com> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 >> >> 2011/7/12 andre999 <[email protected]>: >> > Wolfgang Bornath a ?crit : >> >> >> >> 2011/7/9 andre999<[email protected]>: >> >>> >> >>> Wolfgang Bornath a ?crit : >> >>>> >> >>>> 2011/7/8 Thorsten van Lil<[email protected]>: >> >>>>> >> >>>>> Am 08.07.2011 10:42, schrieb Wolfgang Bornath: >> >>>>>> >> >>>>>> 2011/7/8 James Kerr<jim- t9WuiTNHXmZ/[email protected]>: >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> This thread has strayed far from the original question, > which > could >> >>>>>>> be >> >>>>>>> re-stated as: >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> Should tainted free software and tainted nonfree software be >> >>>>>>> commingled >> >>>>>>> in a >> >>>>>>> single tainted repository? > > ... > >> >> Besides, tainted is not only about patents, it's also about software >> >> which is illegal in certain countries (like libdvdcss). >> > >> > Ok, a relatively limited application. >> > >> > So in all, maybe a handful of packages at most should be in tainted. >> > So why do we have more than 150 ? > >> Sorry, but I do not understand your way of thinking. If a law exists >> it exists. It does not matter to a law whether it is likely to be >> enforced. Period. >> This is not paranoia, it is a matter of mind set. If robbery would not >> be prosecuted, would you go out and earn your doe by taking away >> handbags from old ladies? You would not, because it is wrong. For >> those who are living in countries where patents are valid and accepted >> by the law, using a patented software is wrong. So you must accept >> that there are people who would not do it. Telling them how they >> should think about it is not ours. That's why we have the tainted >> repo. >> >> -- >> wobo > > +1 > > I live in the USA, and while I do not personally support the concept of > software pantents, I also do not want to violate them as long as they are > leagally recognized where I live. > > For me, this is not a matter of risk, but one of ethics, morality, and > respect. IMHO, the fact that my Countries Society recognizes patents as being > legally binding makes it my responsibility to honor them, so I want to know > if > a software package may be affected by one or more patent(s) before I install > it > on my computer. If I know that (for example) package foo is affected by a > patent, I can search for the patent holder, and make contact to request > permission to ust the software, then abide with their response. This way, I > fulfill my obligation to ask permission before using software that is (or may > be) affected by some one elses property. I would no more use patented > software > without permission here in the USA than I would take my neighbor's lawnmower > to cut my grass without his permission. Does that lawnmower have wheels on it? The wheel has been patented. <www.ipmenu.com/archive/AUI_2001100012.pdf> I do not live in the USA. I am not a lawyer. If you are interested, I can give you some background about why I laugh at some patents. > I understand that the following may not be practicable, but I would like all > software that is affected by a patent (and perhaps other licensing or > copyright > restrictions) to be placed in a "restricted" (tainted) repository. Also I > would like to see patent (or contact) information in the software package's > description to help facilitate my ability to ask permission to use the > software. By doing these things, Mageia is doing more to support my ability > to > live by my personal convictions than to support patent law. > > Ernest N. Wilcox Jr. > Registered Linux User 247790
