On Thu, 2007-07-05 at 20:43 -0400, Erik Hemdal wrote: > > > From: Tim <ignored_mailbox@xxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Subject: > > To: For users of Fedora <fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx> > > Message-ID: <1183605180.2993.17.camel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Content-Type: text/plain > > > > On Wed, 2007-07-04 at 18:12 -0400, Erik Hemdal wrote: > > > I understand that the Fedora project wants to take a > > principled stand > > > for free software, and this is very admirable. But with the Betamax > > > safe harbor not so safe anymore, it's no wonder that Fedora doesn't > > > link to any sites for non-free software. > > > > You could logically extend that argument to say that Fedora shouldn't > > provide usenet clients or web browsers, since they can be > > used for such > > purposes, too. Or, more to the point, peer-to-peer software like > > gtk-gnutella... > > One certainly might do that, Tim. That's the core of the problem with the > various recent attacks on copyright law. One thing can lead to another, > with a destructive effect on the balance between the rights of authors and > the rights of users. That says nothing about the destructive effect on the > person or organization being sued. > > I don't know if one could make such an argument effectively, because I'm not > an attorney. But some fairly big disputes have been raised over less. Here > in the US, a customer sued his dry cleaner for $54 million over a lost pair > of pants. Here's a link about it: > > http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/25/AR2007062500 > 443.html > > The judge awarded nothing in the case, but the dry cleaners still face > thousands of dollars in legal bills because they had to defend themselves. > Even though they did nothing wrong, they've lost. It's sad but true, an entire generation is being raised to look at litigation as a legitimate occupation. "And what do you want to be when you grow up, Timmy?" "I'm going to sue somebody and be rich!" Sometimes I'm completely ashamed of my species... With respect to this: > > You could logically extend that argument to say that Fedora shouldn't > > provide usenet clients or web browsers, since they can be > > used for such > > purposes, too. Or, more to the point, peer-to-peer software like > > gtk-gnutella... How log do you think it will be before somebody tries to ban hammers and sue manufacturers thereof, because they could concievably be used to bash an idiot on the forehead and seriously ruin his week? Andy
