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Re: GPLv3 comedy unfolding -- SETI@home


From: Alexander Terekhov
Subject: Re: GPLv3 comedy unfolding -- SETI@home
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2006 12:01:31 +0200

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What does online security have to do with it?
Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, August 01 2006 @ 10:16 PM EDT
Er..."online security" has nothing to do with the discussion, that's
what firewalls are for :-)

The conflict boils down to "can I force YOU to run MY binary to access MY
online service". The GPLv3 says "NO!"

I presume the GPLv3 says this because it's exactly what DRM systems today are
doing, and they don't want GPL software to be used to implement DRM.

The problem is that the EXACT same technology is used for legitimate purposes
too...so by preventing the use of GPLv3 software in DRM systems, they are also
preventing a whole class of useful (to somebody) services from being released
under GPLv3.

In other words, I cannot legally give you a binary compiled from GPLv3 code and
retain the ability to validate you haven't changed it...which certainly DOES
stop me from implementing DRM...but it also stops your computer from doing
trustable work for me (eg http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/)

Clear?

-b
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regards,
alexander.


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