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Re: Open source licenses are /actually/ contracts?!?


From: Arnoud Engelfriet
Subject: Re: Open source licenses are /actually/ contracts?!?
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:20:35 +0000 (UTC)
User-agent: slrn/0.9.8.1 (FreeBSD)

On 2007-08-28, Tim Tyler <seemysig@cyberspace.org> wrote:
> Users do not agree to *anything* by the act of
> copying something.  The worst that can happen
> is that they can subsequently be sued for copyright
> violation - since the user can simply claim that they
> never bothered to read the license.  

I agree with the principle, but the catch is that by using software
without agreeing to the license, you're probably willfully
infringing the copyright. If it's a registered copyright, that
means the statutory damages can run up to $150,000. I'd have to
sell my house if I got hit with that kind of sum.

Arnoud

-- 
Arnoud Engelfriet, Dutch & European patent attorney - Speaking only for myself
Patents, copyright and IPR explained for techies: http://www.iusmentis.com/
              Arnoud blogt nu ook: http://blog.iusmentis.com/



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