Re: gEDA-user: Re: licensing (GPL or otherwise) for hardware?

[Karel Kulhavy <clock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, Dec 14, 2006 at 11:51:27AM -0800, Stephen Williams wrote:
> Karel Kulhavy wrote:
> > On Wed, Dec 13, 2006 at 02:56:53PM -0800, Stephen Williams wrote:
> >> Michael Sokolov wrote:
> >>
> >>> On some rare occasions a paid client will have me develop some piece of
> >>> software or firmware that would actually have value to humanity.  On
> >>> those rare occasions I always ensure that the work gets open-sourced,
> >>> if necessary without the client's knowledge.  Other times I use my
> >>> clients' ignorance of the precise terms of the GPL and other free
> >>> software licenses and make them believe that they have to open-source
> >>> the kernel module I wrote for example, even if they really don't have
> >>> to.
> > 
> > I believe deceiving for a material profit is a criminal act, but deceiving for a
> > public benefit is not illegal.
> 

I talked about deception.

> Well, where I live (USA) theft is theft, no matter what the motive.
> If I rob a bank and give all the money to a church or a charity,
> I'm still going to jail.

This is an example of theft, not deception.

> 
> And if I steal the source code to Microsoft Windows XP and publish
> it on the net for all to see and download, I'm still in biiiiig
> trouble (as I should be) no matter how noble the intent.

This is an example of copyright infringement, not deception.

> 
> And if I sign a non-disclosure agreement to gain access to intellectual
> property, then turn around and publish it in the public domain against
> the clear terms of an agreement *that I signed*, I would surely
> expect that the owner of that IP has cause for redress.

This is an example of breaking a contract, not a deception.

CL<
> 
> This is degenerating into a flame-fest. Let's hurry up with the
> Godwin and get it over with. Anybody?
> -- 
> Steve Williams                "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
> steve at icarus.com           But I have promises to keep,
> http://www.icarus.com         and lines to code before I sleep,
> http://www.picturel.com       And lines to code before I sleep."
> 
> 
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