[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: Who can make binding legal agreements



On Wed, Jun 07, 2006 at 09:07:07AM -0500, John Goerzen wrote:
> So what am I trying to do?
> Most importantly, make sure that SPI and Debian aren't exposed to
> serious legal risks.

Then why don't you contact Greg and the SPI board yourself?

> As I've said already, I don't want SPI to be involved in day-to-day
> license discussions in Debian.  When there's a more deep question --

You're the one that has that question, however; ftpmaster don't believe
there is any valid concern. That's a good reason for you to talk to Greg
and get some professional legal advice, and, depending on what that is,
talk to ftpmaster and Sun about whether the standards need to be changed,
or talk to the DPL and the developer body about whether SPI and Debian's
relationship should be changed in order to reduce the risks.

As it happens, I've been thinking about the latter quite a bit,
particularly in the context of keeping Debian's funds outside the US
sorted out, and preventing Debian's identification with SPI from meaning
that as an Australian helping out a Mexican, I'm bound by US laws simply
by my association with Debian, or for that matter, US folks face potential
liability for my actions even though they're not involved at all. I've
already had to say no to one request to leader@d.o for help on working
with Debian in US embargoed countries (Iran, etc) for that reason, and
that's something I'd like to avoid having to do again. (That was done
with the support of SPI's attorney, Greg Pomerantz, as it happens)

> I'd hope that the
> Debian ftpmasters would feel free to shoot a message over to the SPI
> board and say, "hey guys, could you run this by the attorney and let us
> know his thoughs?"  

Certainly. I've already done this a couple of times on things where I
thought it was important; but since, afaik, Greg is donating his time
pro bono, I'm disinclined to do that unless I think there's an issue.

Cheers,
aj

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: Digital signature


Reply to: