In article <op.t5qnumxiut4oq5@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
John Thingstad <jpthing@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>På Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:42:21 +0100, skrev pg <penang@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>:
>
>>
>>
>> People have been arrested of having Linux CDs, for the authority
>> doesn't differentiate what programs are in the CDs. As long as the CD
>> has computer programs, and if it's not "official release" with
>> "official license" like what Microsoft offers (stickers and such), the
>> authority here will charge you for "PIRACY".
>>
>> The penalty is heavy - RM20,000 (about 6,800USD) for each "pirate" CD.
>>
>> That's Malaysia, and I kid you not !
A fertile ground for counter-suits for defamation, illegal searches
and seisures, illegal arrests etc. Even after Malaysian laws they
may do arrests etc to harras, but they will eventually have to bring
forth proof, or be hit with the provisions of a counter-suit.
You can have your OWN content on CD's, and Malaysia, as a signatory
or the Berne convention is bound to defend this content. You trade
places with Microsoft, so to speak. The Berne convention also has
drag-provisions to other jurisdictions; so it is easy to get e.g.
a suit against your Malaysian opponents accepted by e.g. a US court.
That is what has kept Pirate bay alive for so long.
From the authorities and the MPAA's it can be described as
"sh*t hitting the fan".
>But Linux DOES have official releases and a official licence.
>(A GNU Protected License http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html)
>You can also purchase the Linux CD's with Logo's etc. if it makes you
feel
>better. They will only charge you with the price of the CD, delivery and
>processing though, not the product itself.
Try www.ubuntu.org for _very_ cheap, and _very_ good, cd's for
Linux installations.
>They are also allowed to charge for installation, sup****t and development
>of custom solutions.
>But these services are optional.
>You could prosecute someone for SELLING Linux or for producing commercial
>software extending GPL'ed products.
>Even then it would be a case for a civil suit not a crime. I don't know
>what the laws are in Malaysia are, but this sounds to weird to be true.
If
>I were you I'd check again.
You misunderstand the GPL. There is nothing in the GPL that stops me
from taking the code, wrap it and ****p it as MR_Linux, charge $50000 for
the package and sell a $15k yearly sup****t contract. I am obliged, under
the GPL, to provide source code for it, and the toolchain to build it, asn
well as updates. It also have to do so in a timely fa****on. The language
in the GPL is usually taken as "within 6 months" by courts, although there
is differing practice. It has to be available without any specific fees
for download, but I can cover the direct expenses. If I make quarterly
postings to a web site, and state so in the initial contract, I would
be off that hook according to all lawyers I have heard opinions from.
I can ****p this as a DVD attached to the contract as well.
I can then hold media and catalogue copyright to that Linux distro,
which means that noone can outright copy it, but they can rebuild it
from source code. You can add you own, proprietary software; e.g.
an installer, and as long as it is clearly deliminated and tagged
is perfectly OK.
Making such a distro is _dead easy_.
I have actually participated in doing exactly this.
A special _tiny_ linux+phone stuff distro with installer and
some licensed stuff included. The full source was on the CD.
There is nothing stopping a customer from rebuilding and ripping
out the catalogue parts.
-- mrr
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