Re: Checklist for Package Sponsors
On Sat, 11 Aug 2007, Petter Reinholdtsen wrote:
> [Don Armstrong]
> > Make sure that the package can be distributed by Debian
> [...]
> > * Are there significant patents which the work infringes which are known
> > to be enforced?
>
> I'm not going to do this. Knowing what is patented make you more
> liable to punishment if you use a patent without a license than doing
> it by accident without knowing it, so it do not make sense to keep
> track of what the horribly broken patent systems around the world
> decide to grant software patents for.
It just makes you liable for treble damages instead of normal damages
in the US, at least.
That said, note that it says "are known to be enforced". If there are
press releases about enforcing specific patents, we should avoid
knowingly distributing software that infringes them. It's not asking
for developers to search the patent databases in all countries that
Debian is distributed looking for patents.
Don Armstrong
--
One day I put instant coffee in my microwave oven and almost went back
in time.
-- Steven Wright
http://www.donarmstrong.com http://rzlab.ucr.edu
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