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

Wed Jul 13 14:27:26 CEST 2011

On Tue, 12 Jul 2011, 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 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.
+
+I think we should not do that. Because we probably have more useful
+things to do than documenting patents and helping patent holders. And
+because it doesn't help users, on the contrary, it makes it more
+dangerous for them to use the software, because they cannot say they
+didn't know about the patent.
+
+