[Mageia-dev] Mirror layout : Why validate software patents ?

[Wolfgang Bornath]

2010/12/8 andre999 <andr55 at laposte.net>:
>
> By presenting a special set of repositories for patent-affected software, we
> could be seen as justifying these patent sharks.
> In their minds, why else would be accommodate them ?

Patented software is a reality in some countries. You can't discuss it
away with logical reason or morale arguments.

> Ok, I think, how many other distros have such repositories.  According to
> comments on the list : none.

Oh, really? Some (like Mandriva) do not have such a repository because
they do not distribute such software at all, PLF does that for
Mandriva. What about Ubuntu? What about Fedora?

> And what happens if there is a patent pursuit against Mageia or it's mirrors
> ?
> Even if we have a separate repository, the package in question might end up
> being withdrawn.  But it seems doubtful that one would want to withdraw all
> potentially threatened packages.
> (That would be a big victory for patent sharks.)

A patent pursuit will not be aimed against Mageia because Mageia is a
french organisation where there are no software patents. But lawsuits
could be aimed at those mirror maintainers who are runnning their
mirrors in such countries which allow software patents. There are
mirrors which are maintained by single private persons (example: me)
where the maintainer can not take such a risk.
That there haven't been any pusuits yet does not mean they are not
possible. As a private person you don't play around with such things
(aka breaking existing laws).

> No report of anyone wanting to have an official mirror, that wanted such
> repositories.

2 reasons:
It is obvious that Mageia has to find a way to supply this sort of software.
It is obvious that in countries with software patents such software
can not be distributed on the mirrors.

The logical consequence of having "tainted" software within the usual
repos would be that there could not be Mageia mirrors in those
countries at all.

I agree, this could be a possible solution because geographical
distances do not mean anything in the internet. To draw a real
picture: who would care if there was no Mageia mirror in the USA while
there are mirrors all around outside USA (Canada, Mexico, etc.)? This
way we would also make a statement against the patent laws of such
countries.

We do not validate anything by acknowledging the facts.

-- 
wobo