[Mageia-dev] Mageia repository sections, licenses, restrictions, firmware etc

[Tux99]

On Fri, 15 Oct 2010, Anssi Hannula wrote:

> Seems sensible to ask the mirror owners. It is possible some of them have not 
> been aware of the problem at all, so I think we should make sure they 
> understand that Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, etc. also contain patented technologies 
> (to avoid the situation where they are willing to mirror Ubuntu/Debian/Arch 
> but not allow patented software in Mageia, just because the other 
> distributions didn't notify them of the issue; if they don't want to mirror 
> Mageia if it contained patent-encumbered software, they really shouldn't be 
> mirroring those other distributions either).

While you are right that we should point out that Ubuntu/Debian/Arch 
contain the same potentially patent-infringing (in a few countries) 
software as Mageia IN CASE THEY OBJECT to this in Mageia, I don't see 
why we should stirr up a hornets nest in the first place. 

The mirror maintainers are responsible adults, you don't need to point 
out anything to them, it's their decision and their responsibility to 
comply with local laws of their country.

I assume none of us is a lawyer (especially not with expertise in the 
laws of all countries), so giving legal advice to the mirror admins is 
pointless and most likely counterproductive.

Imagine how other distros will react if they find out that Mageia 
induced some mirrors to drop their distros, now that would make Mageia 
popular in the wider Linux community...