[cc-community] GNU-GPL, makefiles, and non-distributed executables

Asheesh Laroia asheesh at asheesh.org
Sun Dec 16 22:37:30 EST 2007


On Sun, 16 Dec 2007, Terry Hancock wrote:

> "Referencing" a work is NOT "including" it (imagine the consequences if
> it were!). Lists of bookmarks are a trivial example of why that would be
> bad as are scientific citations, bibliographies, etc.

In fact, if referencing a work were the same as distributing it, then the 
publisher of a website that linked to software that was illegal to 
distribute could be held liable for linking!  That's CRAZY!  You'd be 
putting news publishers in jail for describing others' illegal actions!

And yet it happened - US courts repeatedly ruled that Eric Corley, who 
linked to DeCSS on 2600.com, violated the law. 
(http://w2.eff.org/IP/Video/MPAA_DVD_cases/?f=20011128_ny_appeal_decision.html 
and other links.)

(This is a bit off-topic; I just couldn't help myself.  That case just 
infuriates me.)

-- Asheesh.

--
   Procrastination means never having to say you're sorry.



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