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

Wed Jul 13 14:29:24 CEST 2011

On 13 July 2011 14:27, nicolas vigier <boklm at mars-attacks.org> wrote:
+> 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.
+>
+>
+
+(However, each package has a URL field, with a link to the upstream
+web site, that could be a good starting point for a search for those
+who wanna do it).
+
+-- 
+Ahmad Samir
+