Re: WARNING: Crypto software to be included into main Debian distribution

[Walter Landry <wlandry@ucsd.edu>]

Henning Makholm <henning@makholm.net> wrote:
> Does *Debian* have to make it a condition that *other people* don't
> make nukes with the software? As you pointed out yourself, the
> government already makes it criminal for people to manufacture nukes
> (not just the U.S. government; hobby nukemaking is very illegal here
> in Denmark too, and I believe in the rest of the civilised world
> too). What good will it do anyone that Debian would threaten such
> criminals with civil lawsuits *in addition* to the criminal
> litigation they will face? Not to mention that the threat would be
> void; I can hardly imagine the SPI spending donators' money on such
> a suit.

You seem to be agreeing that it is a use restriction.  You're just
saying that we don't care about those particular uses.  Am I reading
you correctly?

> So why bother trying to make a *contract* with users to enforce
> things that *criminal law* already enforces in every case where the
> contract could be of value? Isn't that just what we (debian-legal)
> say is non-free when somebody else tries to write it into his
> copyright license. The government's laws are for the government to
> enforce.

You seem to be saying that the contract is worthless since it is
difficult to enforce.  You aren't saying anything about whether the
law requires Debian to make that contract.  Do I understand that
correctly?

Regards,
Walter Landry
wlandry@ucsd.edu