Re: SGI Free SW license 1.1 compatability with Xfree86 style license
Scripsit Bolan Meek <Bolan.Meek@wcom.com>
> Henning, I think you are going on-and-on about nothing. Do you really
> fear that SGI is going to come after you if you use the software that
> they openly release? Or are you just enjoying an exercise in word-
> wrangling?
I think that one has to be paranoid when reading licenses.
> To idemnify means, in this kind of context, roughly, to hold harmless,
Yes, and wouldn't it cause SGI harm if I competed succesfully with
them, using their software.
> if _you_ suffer loss through the use of the software, or if
> _someone_ else suffers loss through _your_ use of it,
Where in the clause do you see that loss suffered by SGI is not covered?
> If SGI were to suffer business losses as a result of you successfully
> competeing through the use of their software, the losses wouldn't
> really be due to you, but their own lack of competetiveness and
> efficiency.
Do you think that argument would be sure enough to hold in court that
this license should be accepted as free?
> > Well, that's a possible reasoning, but how can you be sure that the
> > second sentence is not just another, independently valid, rule?
> You can be sure by the common understanding of language.
Common understanding of language says to me that sentences that are
separated by full stops are, like, independent sentences.
> Legalese doesn't give words strange, arcane, hidden meanings:
No. Do you think it is a strange, arcane, hidden meaning to say that
"You must idenmify my losses" means "If I lose money, you must pay up"?
> they can be looked up in the dictionary.
I did.
--
Henning Makholm "*Jeg* tænker *strax* på kirkemødet i
Konstantinopel i 381 e.Chr. om det arianske kætteri..."
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