[Mageia-dev] Mirror layout

Sat Dec 11 00:12:51 CET 2010

2010/12/10 andre999 <andr55 at laposte.net>:
+>
+> We should remember that patents are a civil right accorded by rules
+> differing from country to country.  Many countries don't offer patents on
+> software.
+
+But some do and here we are talking about those that do.
+
+> Patent holders have to use the courts to enforce these rights, who often
+> deny or limit patent holder's claims.
+
+It is not about enforcing patent rights, it is about distributing
+software which is infringing existing patent rights in said countries.
+
+> So in addition to any theoretical rights of software patent holders, there
+> is the consideration "is it worth the money and effort for the potential
+> gain in royalties" ?
+
+This is not the question because we are not talking about costly court trials.
+
+> "cease and desist" letters are just warnings.  Any attached "bill" would
+> only have effect if validatated by a court.
+
+Yes, I can refuse to pay, then it goes to court. And with an existing
+law which protects patented software, who do you think will win?
+
+> And how does that translate for free software ?
+
+It has nothing to do which subject it is. Such warnings are sent out
+to the hundreds about all kinds of things like missing or incorrect
+imprints on websites or whatever. There are whole lawyer's companies
+specialized on that. Remember, we are not talking about Mageia and/or
+large companies or organisations as I already wrote, we are talking
+about the private mirror maintainer who has no backup.
+
+Well, maybe I can not make myself understood sufficiently. All I can
+say, it has nothing to do with paranoia, it is reality. We
+(mandrivauser.de) decided unanomously not to mirror PLF because of
+such reasons because there are possibilities of such liabilities even
+in Germany.
+
+So, all in all my point is:
+separating such software from the rest makes it possible for mirror
+maintainers in such difficult areas to decide. Mixing such software
+with all other software makes it almost impossible for same small
+mirrors to mirror Mageia at all.
+
+-- 
+wobo
+