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

[Wolfgang Bornath]

2011/7/14 blind Pete <0123peter at gmail.com>:
> on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:04
> in the Usenet newsgroup gmane.linux.mageia.devel
> Ernest N. Wilcox Jr. wrote:
>
>>> Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:16:24 +0200
>>> From: Wolfgang Bornath <molch.b at googlemail.com>
>>> To: Mageia development mailing-list <mageia-dev-
> odJJhXpcy38dnm+yROfE0A at public.gmane.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-
> t9WuiTNHXmZ/pmDbDnXM4b3SaDeIAXZp0Fzj8UutsXo at public.gmane.org>:
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>> 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.
>
> Does that lawnmower have wheels on it?  The wheel has been patented.
> <www.ipmenu.com/archive/AUI_2001100012.pdf>
>
> I do not live in the USA.  I am not a lawyer.
>
> If you are interested, I can give you some background about why I
> laugh at some patents.

Everybody here laughs at software patents (more or less). That's not the issue.

-- 
wobo