Karel Kulhavy wrote: > On Wed, Dec 13, 2006 at 02:56:53PM -0800, Stephen Williams wrote: >> Michael Sokolov wrote: >> >>> On some rare occasions a paid client will have me develop some piece of >>> software or firmware that would actually have value to humanity. On >>> those rare occasions I always ensure that the work gets open-sourced, >>> if necessary without the client's knowledge. Other times I use my >>> clients' ignorance of the precise terms of the GPL and other free >>> software licenses and make them believe that they have to open-source >>> the kernel module I wrote for example, even if they really don't have >>> to. > > I believe deceiving for a material profit is a criminal act, but deceiving > for a > public benefit is not illegal.
Well, where I live (USA) theft is theft, no matter what the motive. If I rob a bank and give all the money to a church or a charity, I'm still going to jail. And if I steal the source code to Microsoft Windows XP and publish it on the net for all to see and download, I'm still in biiiiig trouble (as I should be) no matter how noble the intent. And if I sign a non-disclosure agreement to gain access to intellectual property, then turn around and publish it in the public domain against the clear terms of an agreement *that I signed*, I would surely expect that the owner of that IP has cause for redress. This is degenerating into a flame-fest. Let's hurry up with the Godwin and get it over with. Anybody? -- Steve Williams "The woods are lovely, dark and deep. steve at icarus.com But I have promises to keep, http://www.icarus.com and lines to code before I sleep, http://www.picturel.com And lines to code before I sleep." _______________________________________________ geda-user mailing list geda-user@moria.seul.org http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user