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Re: Just the usual rant: Debian VS legal problems (MPlayer, xine, libavcodec)



On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 14:30:40 +1100
Andrew Lau <netsnipe@debianplanet.org> wrote:

> On Mon, Jan 27, 2003 at 11:17:50AM +1100, Glenn McGrath wrote:
> > Debian developers should be bound by the laws of their own country,
> > not the laws of some far off land.
> > 

> 
> From http://www.spi-inc.org/about:
> 
> 	SPI was incorporated as a non-profit organization on June 16,
> 	1997 in the state of New York. Since then, it has become an
> 	umbrella organization for projects from the community.
> 
> Software in the Public Interest happens to own our assets for legal
> reasons. Branden, would you like to elaborate on this? Anyway, getting
> back to the point, corporations can get to us by suing SPI if we
> distribute copyright/law infringing software.
> 

A hypothetical example.

Australia doesnt recognise software patents, so as im an Australian
residing in Australia, arent i free to do things that in the US (for
example) would be considered a violation of a software patent.

If i did so and then went to the US, or if Australain law was
contradicted by international law then i could be in trouble.

Does the fact that im part of a project whose assets are managed by a US
non-profit organisation mean im subject to US laws.... i should hope
not.

If it does then SPI shouldnt be incorportated in the US, rather in some
friendlier country.



Glenn

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