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

Fri Oct 15 13:45:53 CEST 2010

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...
+
+