to autodownload or not to autodownload

[Stephen John Smoogen]

On Feb 8, 2008 2:27 PM, Alan Cox <alan at redhat.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 08, 2008 at 03:37:17PM -0500, Simo Sorce wrote:
> > FWIW patents on software are insane, no need to dig further on the
> > consequences of the original insanity ...
>
> Perhaps. The current situation is insane however.
>
> Originally the world could have chosen software as machine (no copyright law)
> or as literary/creative work (copyright law). It eventually chose the latter
> and then some idiot judge decided to make it both in the USA. Hard to know
> if pure patent would have worked - assuming the patent office was also fixed
> but the mix is a disaster.
>
> Even the copyright situation is warped  "You may not reverse engineer" is
> a bit like "you may not study this painting" - imagine art classes if
> analysing the work of artists was outlawed - or poetry..
>

Actually I have read papers advocating that. I have no doubt in 20
years someone will try and might suceed in doing it either.



-- 
Stephen J Smoogen. -- CSIRT/Linux System Administrator
How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed
in a naughty world. = Shakespeare. "The Merchant of Venice"