Messages in this thread | | | Date | Sat, 9 Apr 2005 16:38:15 +0200 | From | Adrian Bunk <> | Subject | Re: non-free firmware in kernel modules, aggregation and unclear copyright notice. |
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On Fri, Apr 08, 2005 at 08:31:22PM -0400, Raul Miller wrote: > On Fri, Apr 08, 2005 at 07:34:00PM +0200, Adrian Bunk wrote: > > If Debian was at least consistent. > > > > Why has Debian a much more liberal interpretation of MP3 patent issues > > than RedHat? > > It's impossible to treat patents consistently. > > The U.S. patent office, at least, has granted patents on natural laws, > on stuff that's already patented, on stuff with clear prior art, on > trivial math operations and so on. Patents are being granted so quickly > there's no way of even knowing what's patented. > > Or were you hoping that Debian would follow Red Hat's lead?
Even RedHat with a stronger financial background than Debian considered the MP3 patents being serious enough to remove MP3 support.
Yes, Debian can choose to put a higher risk on their distributors and mirrors - there's nothing wrong with this.
Note that this is a respose to Josselin's statement:
<-- snip -->
When there are several possible interpretations, you have to pick up the more conservative one, as it's not up to us to make the interpretation, but to a court.
<-- snip -->
It's simply silly to be extremely picky on copyright issues while being extremely liberal on patent issues - the risk of a Debian distributor being sued for patent violations (no matter how the lawsuit might end) is definitely present.
> As for this particular patent, I'm not really sure what's being patented. >...
Which one of the 23 patents they list do you call "this particular patent"?
> Raul
cu Adrian
--
"Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days. "Only a promise," Lao Er said. Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed
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