Re: [gentoo-dev] Software patents

[Robert Paskowitz]

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twofourtysix wrote:

>> On 05/07/05, Robert Paskowitz <r2d2@g.o> wrote:
>>
>
>>>>You have encouraged gentoo to remove patent-encoumbered software from
>>>>portage. I'd like to see you personally work with only software that
>>>>does not contain any patented work.
>
>>
>>
>> No, I have encouraged Gentoo to remove software written by companies
>> who are strongly behind software patents. Big difference. It's so easy
>> to get software patents in the USA currently that it's likely that
>> every single thing in the tree is covered by some bogus software
>> patent. However, in most cases, these patents are not held by the same
>> people who are making the software.
>>


The linux kernel includes selinux code (2.6 branch). Please see the
following statement of assurance:
http://www.securecomputing.com/pdf/Statement_of_Assurance.pdf . IBM and
RedHat also have numerous patents covering the kernel. If IBM isn't a
company strongly in favour of patents, I don't know who is.

>>
>
>>>>>>I applaud Gentoo's
>>>>>>efforts in displaying the banners, but so long as Gentoo continues to
>>>>>>assist and advertise for the very companies who are pushing for
>>>>>>software patents, I do not see it as a particularly credible protest.
>>>>>>Would it not be better to avoid becoming involved in the issue
>>>>>>entirely if one is not prepared to back up a cute little banner with
>>>>>>actual actions?
>>>>>>
>>
>>>>
>>>>Gentoo has made no such efforts. Some developers have taken it upon
>>>>themselves to make their feelings heard. For those that don't
>>>>instinctively realise that planet.gentoo.org agregates stuff writen by
>>>>individuals, the following notice is at the bottom of the page:
>>>>
>>>>Views expressed in the content shown above do not necessarily represent
>>>>the views of Gentoo Linux or the Gentoo Foundation.
>
>>
>>
>> Oh come on. The planet is a service provided by Gentoo, with content
>> provided by Gentoo developers, which is hosted on a Gentoo domain,
>> presumably using Gentoo hardware. A cute disclaimer doesn't change its
>> status.
>>
>> If you seriously think that content provided via the planet is not
>> representative of Gentoo views, I invite you to try posting something
>> really offensive to it and see how long it lasts. If it remains
>> uncensored, I'll accept that Gentoo as an organisation has no
>> influence over the content. Otherwise, by moderating the contents,
>> Gentoo is implicitly accepting responsibility for the items which
>> remain.
>>


Views on the planet of views of the developers. Plain and simple. So
long as they relate in some way to gentoo, they are welcome. If they are
not welcome there, they *are* welcome at universe.gentoo.org. It
probably won't surprise you to know that that is hosted on the same
machine as planet.gentoo.org. Of course, something flat-out inflammatory
isn't likely to survive long, but that's related more to the Etiquette
policy
(http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/devrel/handbook/handbook.xml?part=3;chap=2),
which _could_ probably do with another section regarding
planet/universe(hint hint devrel).


Furthermore, the idea of 'practising what you preach' would suggest that
Gentoo not file patents over things it produces. It seems all too
easy(and convinient) to blur the actual topic of discussion.

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