Re: Initial Proposal to solve this non-US issue

[john@dhh.gt.org]

Raul writes:
> How about asking each maintainer to include in her package a list of
> countries that the package must be kept out of?

> Your proposal localizes the responsibility.  Mine provides a distinct
> interface layer between defining the issues and defining the implications
> of those issues.

Baffle.  I can't see the difference between your proposal and mine.

> Yeah, in the general case it probably isn't legal to write any software
> in the U.S. [because you can't guarantee that you're not infringing on
> any patents when you do so].

What an amazing notion!  According to that theory it is illegal to
manufacture anything in the US, and has been for about 200 years.

> However, there are only a few areas where this is a recognizable problem,
> and it is worth making a list of those areas and what their implications
> are for people in the U.S.

Worthwhile, I suppose, but pretty much independent of my proposal.

> You know that if we just ask people to say "ok/not ok" that any number of
> them will ponder the issue for some short period of time then come up
> with some answer.

So I ask them to first list the countries their package can't go into and
then write a paragraph explaining why.

> But without knowing how they got at the answer how can we verify its
> correctness?

Do we have any compelling need to do so?  Is there any way that we can?
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