On Fri, May 24, 2002 at 03:28:44PM -0700, john traenky wrote:
> OpenSSL is the cornerstone for Open Source projects
> using encryption. Has anyone done an analysis of what
> legalities need doing to use it legally in the United
> States? I have several charities and the like who'd
> love to use it but can't risk a legal conflict. TIA.
There are three things to take care of:
* Legality of using encryption:
you can build and use any kind of cryptographic software in the US.
If you ship sources to the world outside the USA, you have to inform
the government of this fact (it does not require a permit, you just
have to inform then once by). If you export binaries, you still need
a permit, that however shall now be easy to obtain.
That's how I understood the situation. I am german. I am living in Germany.
I write OpenSource. I thus don't have to care.
* Patent issues:
like in science (where you can never be sure whether a theory is true
unless you show that it's wrong) you can never be sure that not somebody
holds or at least believes and/or claims to hold a patent on something.
You only know once he sues you and it is decided in court.
In Europe patents on software are not issued yet (and hopefully the
european parliament doesn't get lobbyed into it by interested parts
from the software industrie), so we don't have to care that much.
(In some newsticker some days ago I read, that a small company sues
more or less all scanner, printer etc manufacturers for having used
a patented technology with respect to color management. The patent is
more than 15 years old. I don't know whether it will hold up in court
when not being enforced for that long time. But as you can see, you
can never be sure from a surprise coming in even after decades. Man,
I really prefer the german system of justice.)
* Finally, there is the OpenSSL license, which comes with the package.
Read it yourself: it is not very difficult. And to be honest: I rather
spend my time writing software -- or even more sitting on the beach --
than trying to sue people with respect to our license :-)
Hope this helps,
Lutz
--
Lutz Jaenicke [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.aet.TU-Cottbus.DE/personen/jaenicke/
BTU Cottbus, Allgemeine Elektrotechnik
Universitaetsplatz 3-4, D-03044 Cottbus
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