Messages in this thread | | | Subject | RE: Possible GPL infringement in Broadcom-based routers | From | Stephen Pollei <> | Date | 06 Nov 2004 13:40:37 -0800 |
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On Sat, 2004-11-06 at 12:09, David Schwartz wrote: > .... But since I refused the GPL, why does it matter > what the GPL says?! > It matters, because in a dispute the copyright holder(s) will file a civil case alleging copyright violation(s) on your part. When you receive this, you will have no defense to this charge unless you claim that you received a license from the copyright holder(s). The copyright holder(s) will at that point ask "What license would that be?". You will answer "the GPL of course!" .
After you have acknowledged the GPL as part of your defense -- Then and only then would the debate move to whether or not you are within the four corners of the license. However if you don't acknowledge the GPL then you are making a summary judgment against you quite likely -- as the court will find it as a fact not in material dispute that you had no permission to do anything with the copyrighted work(s) at all.
So I guess you are completely right; if you refuse to use the GPL as a defense, then it doesn't matter what it does or doesn't say -- you're going to fry by default.
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