[Mageia-dev] Repository question: where do we put non-free+tainted RPMs?

[Wolfgang Bornath]

2011/7/12 Ernest N. Wilcox Jr. <ewilcox at bex.net>:
>> Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:16:24 +0200
>> From: Wolfgang Bornath <molch.b at googlemail.com>
>> To: Mageia development mailing-list <mageia-dev at mageia.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Mageia-dev] Repository question: where do we put
>>         non-free+tainted RPMs?
> Message-ID:
>        <CA+h4nj6KtYu8vUFcZ4mWUO08J5ZyxB5XnN2bsSLoqm8R7w6E=w at mail.gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>>
>> 2011/7/12 andre999 <andr55 at laposte.net>:
>> > Wolfgang Bornath a ?crit :
>> >>
>> >> 2011/7/9 andre999<andr55 at laposte.net>:
>> >>>
>> >>> Wolfgang Bornath a ?crit :
>> >>>>
>> >>>> 2011/7/8 Thorsten van Lil<tvl83 at gmx.de>:
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> Am 08.07.2011 10:42, schrieb Wolfgang Bornath:
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> 2011/7/8 James Kerr<jim at jkerr82508.free-online.co.uk>:
>> >>>>>>>
>> >>>>>>> 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.
>
> 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.
>

Thx for youor thoughts, this is the first time a user participates in
this discussion who is actually affected by the issue we are talking
about. It's a totally different point of view if you are affected and
you care. This is something we should regard as a standard in all
discussions about such issues: ask the people who are affected by the
issue in question.

-- 
wobo