One quick answer:
http://foss4us.org/node/234
"In Syria, FLOSS fights an alien embargo
Anas Tawileh (29) is based in Cardiff, Wales. But he's doing an unbelievable job
in promoting Free/Libre and Open Source Software in his home country, Syria.
Says he: "We have a very nice point (to make) in Syria. We are currently under a
technological embargo from the US. Which means we cannot legally
obtain the license for any kind of software, whatever it is. Even Windows 95,
Windows 98 or server applications. Because these things are considered as
'high-technology'."
So, Anas is just going about building a network based on FLOSS. From ground up.
Anas narrates a story: "One guy won a personal computer, because he subscribed
to a magazine via the Middle East. But because it was violating
the US export law, they refused to ship it to him."
This leaves his country with only two options. To "pirate" (i.e. illegally copy)
software. But even those who take this route would not be able to
access the much-needed support for proprietary software. The other option,
points out Anas, is FLOSS."
And the Free/Libre and Open Source Software way:
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
6. Each time you redistribute the Program (or any work based on the Program),
the recipient automatically receives a license from the original licensor to
copy, distribute or modify the Program subject to these terms and conditions.
You may not impose any further restrictions on the recipients' exercise of the
rights granted herein. You are not responsible for enforcing compliance by third
parties to this License.
http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.php
"5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons.
Rationale: In order to get the maximum benefit from the process, the maximum
diversity of persons and groups should be equally eligible to contribute to open
sources. Therefore we forbid any open-source license from locking anybody out of
the process.
Some countries, including the United States, have export restrictions for
certain types of software. An OSD-conformant license may warn licensees of
applicable restrictions and remind them that they are obliged to obey the law;
however, it may not incorporate such restrictions itself."
And the great thing about Anas Tawileh and the Syrian Linux Users Group is that
they are doing more to spread notions of Liberty (known in the Muslim world
under the name Justice) than any idiotic rantings and ravings of certain
politicians whose names I do not wish to mention, lest like the Black Plague
they descend on me ...
Wesley Parish
Quoting yo yo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
> Hello,
> There are american laws that forbid the export of
> american software to several misconsidered countries
> like IRAN. Do these laws also apply to OpenSource
> software in general and to OpenOffice in particular?
> What is the nationality of openoffice? is it american?
> or is it countryfree?
>
> Thanks,
> Lionel.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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"Sharpened hands are happy hands.
"Brim the tinfall with mirthful bands"
- A Deepness in the Sky, Vernor Vinge
"I me. Shape middled me. I would come out into hot!"
I from the spicy that day was overcasked mockingly - it's a symbol of the
other horizon. - emacs : meta x dissociated-press
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