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

Re: Dissident versus ASP



On Tue, Mar 18, 2003 at 10:34:35AM +1000, Anthony Towns wrote:
> Huh? It seems meaningless to me: if you employ some people to work on
> your program, you put them under NDA so that they agree not to disclose
> the source code; if you work with other groups, you do likewise to them.

The license would forbid this, just like the GPL's clause 6 would.

> If necessary, you do the NDAing at arm's length, something like:
> 
> 	A changes the program
> 	E employs B under a contract that they don't distribute the
> 	  program or its source, etc
> 	E asks A to give B a copy of the program
> 	A gives B a copy of the program

This would leave A free to distribute the modifications.

> E isn't covered by the program's license since he never has anything to
> do with it. I don't think it would be remotely reasonable or enforcable
> (or in line with giving people more free software) to somehow stop A from
> giving the program to B, or to stop B from being able to give copies to
> people who E approves of.

If the program were GPLed, it _would_ stop B from being able to give
copies to anyone unless the copies were unrestricted.  This doesn't
seem to be a problem in practice, though IIRC it collided with US
export restrictions at some point.

I think the end result of your scenario is that only B is restricted.

Richard Braakman



Reply to: