Re: Question about license compatibility
On Saturday 23 July 2005 04:41 pm, Francesco Poli wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 00:03:56 -0700 Sean Kellogg wrote:
> > Anyone else have thoughts?
>
> Yes, I have one:
> | 3. The licensee agrees to obey all U.S. Government res- trictions
> | governing redistribution or export of the software and
> | documentation.
>
> That sounds non-free.
> Suppose I'm *not* a U.S. citizen[1]: why should I be bound to obey U.S.
> Government restrictions?
>
> [1] as I was born in Italy, *live* in Italy, and am an Italian citizen,
> this is actually the case! ;-)
This is a difficult situation that is worth commentary. Assume for a moment
that the U.S. has some strict export restriction. As a U.S. citizen I am
bound by those laws and cannot legally violate them. Further, if I am to
distribute software it is entirely possible that the law prohibits me from
distributing that software to citizens of certain nations and to ensure those
who receive copies do the same.
This means I have have a responsibility to ensure others don't distribute and
cause me to break the law. The only tool by which I have to do that is the
license.
Is it Debian's stance that I cannot do so? Can the United State's Government
bar me from contributing to Debian by imposing export restrictions?
I wasn't on d-l at the time, but wasn't this the point of non-US. Whatever
happened to that?
-Sean
--
Sean Kellogg
3rd Year - University of Washington School of Law
Graduate & Professional Student Senate Treasurer
UW Service & Activities Committee Interim Chair
w: http://probonogeek.blogspot.com
So, let go
...Jump in
...Oh well, what you waiting for?
...it's all right
...'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
Reply to: