Links 15/07/2008: No More Solaris for Salesforce.com, New Migrations to GNU/Linux
- Dr. Roy Schestowitz
- 2008-07-15 10:40:41 UTC
- Modified: 2008-07-15 10:40:41 UTC
GNU/Linux
Qt/KDE
- Chinese educational handhelds get Qt
- KDE Commit Digest: Issue 114
Global keyboard shortcuts for applets, and an Amarok and "python expression" runner in Plasma. A Java test applet and various interaction improvements in Plasma. Simple network and CPU monitors in the system-monitor Plasmoid. Initial import of PeachyDock, a Plasma-based alternative panel.
F/OSS
OpenOffice.org
SaaS
Abuse of Rights
Recent Techrights' Posts
- IBM's CEO Roasted, Sizzled and Grilled for Dumb and Inconsistent Vapourware Promises
- It looks like being a chronic liar is what it takes to lead the company once synonymous with computing
- Who Imitates Who? Plagiarist as Client (From Microsoft), 'Plagiarism' at the Law Firm?
- let's revisit the subject
-
- Links 11/06/2025: More Vulnerabilities Found in 'Smart' Phones, China Extends Reach in the Pacific
- Links for the day
- Gemini Links 11/06/2025: Grain and Steam Next Fest
- Links for the day
- Links 11/06/2025: "Quantum" Hype From IBM, US Closer to Martial Law, and “The Nation” Celebrates Milestone
- Links for the day
- IBM's Goal Is Not (and Never Was) Computer Users' Freedom
- More than 1.5 decades ago I found IBM to be an "ally of convenience" because of OpenDocument Format (ODF)
- Wayland Shows the IBM/Red Hat Way of Doing Things
- IBM is trying to 'kill' X
- GitHub is Proprietary, Controlled by Microsoft, and GPL Violation Warehouse
- "IRS tax filing software [will be] released to the people as free software" ... In general this is good news
- Slopfarm Catastrophe
- Seems like BetaNews (or BetaNoise) has just suffered a major data loss and restored the site from a week-old backup
- Abuse Inside the Polish Patent Office (UPRP) - Part VIII: Illegal Working Conditions
- How many people need to die for these people to get their massive salaries?
- Over at Tux Machines...
- GNU/Linux news for the past day
- IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
- IRC logs for Tuesday, June 10, 2025
- Links 10/06/2025: Apple Hype and Physical Attacks on Bloggers
- Links for the day
- Gemini Links 10/06/2025: Loon Lake, Farming, and Forth
- Links for the day
- Links 10/06/2025: Jaws at 50 and US Democracy Crushed Very Rapidly (Martial Law Seems Imminent)
- Links for the day
- Abuse Inside the Polish Patent Office (UPRP) - Part VII: Washing Their Hands After Corruption and Abuse
- "Tragedy or comedy?"
- Culling Bad RSS Feeds of Bad Sites
- Not throwing out the baby with the bathwater
- If 'Microsoft v Techrights' is Dealt With by a 'Microsoft Court' (or a Court Outsourced to Microsoft)
- More on that later
- Over at Tux Machines...
- GNU/Linux news for the past day
- IRC Proceedings: Monday, June 09, 2025
- IRC logs for Monday, June 09, 2025
- Gemini Protocol Turns Six in 10 Days From Now
- If you haven't tried it yet, then give it a go today
- Live as You Preach
- technology is fast becoming dysphoric
- Gemini Links 09/06/2025: Addition Addiction and Nitride
- Links for the day
- Links 09/06/2025: Science, Hardware Projects, and Democracy Receding
- Links for the day
- Computers Got Smaller, So GNU/Linux Got Bigger
- Many people here recognise the lack of urgency (or need) to get expensive new laptops
- BetaNews is a Plagiarism and LLM Slop Hub, the Chief Editor Isn't Addressing This Problem Anymore
- SS Fagioli is basically a parasite leeching off or exploiting other people's work
- Links 09/06/2025: Chaos in Los Angeles and Hurricane Season
- Links for the day
- GNU/Linux Grows at Windows' Expense and Microsoft Trolls Infest and Maliciously Target Articles About It
- Microsoft is - and has long been - organised crime
- They Say I'm Mr. Bombastic
- They didn't take good lawyers
- Links 09/06/2025: Windows TCO and Many Data Breaches
- Links for the day
- Abuse Inside the Polish Patent Office (UPRP) - Part VI: Political Stunts by Former President Edyta Demby-Siwek and the Connection to Profound Corruption at EUIPO
- it's like a money-laundering operation where one politician rewards another at taxpayers' expense
- Gemini Links 09/06/2025: Pipelines and Splitgate
- Links for the day
- Over at Tux Machines...
- GNU/Linux news for the past day
- IRC Proceedings: Sunday, June 08, 2025
- IRC logs for Sunday, June 08, 2025
Comments
RyanT
2008-07-15 13:38:45
http://somethingmild.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-make-software-agreeable.html
Was wandering what you thought about it, and if it is right/good enough, maybe you could include it in a future links section.
Roy Schestowitz
2008-07-15 19:41:51
I've just included a link to this. It's also up for discussion in USENET and in http://digg.com/linux_unix/How_To_Make_Software_Agreeable http://tech.propeller.com/story/2008/07/15/how-to-make-software-agreeable/
Saul Goode
2008-07-15 20:20:59
I haven't read your piece in detail yet (I will do so this evening), but it seems well-written and addresses a growing concern with regard to licensing of copyrighted works.
I tend to disagree with the presumption that the existence of a licensing agreement excludes the concept "sale/purchasing". While the courts have occasionally been inconsistent, for the most part they (U.S. courts, anyway) recognize a one-time payment in exchange for use of the software as being a "sale", regardless of any verbiage included in an EULA or other license. A recent court case supporting this "quacks like duck" interpretation is the one involving Ebay sales of Autodesk software [1]. To summarize the decision, a EULA can not trump the laws of copyright in the case of a "sale" of a copyrighted work.
Another recent case which might be interpreted as supporting your position (assuming my basic understanding of your position is correct) would be the Blizzard World Of Warcraft lawsuit against the "Glider" bot [2]. However, I think the distinguishing characteristic of this case is that -- and correct me if I'm wrong -- WoW is a subscription service (not a one-time fee) and as such is more of an ongoing lease arrangement. At least I hope that this distinction was critical to the otherwise worrisome decision.
I hope that as further litigation is resolved, the courts will continue to interpret the "first sale doctrine" as valid and that if a company wishes to have their EULAs recognized as lease agreements then it must not employ "sales" of their software. Those parts of EULAs which would grant the copyright holder more prerogative than the exclusive rights delineated in copyright law should be considered invalid.
I look forward to perusing your article in depth and apologize if I have misinterpreted your position on the issue. It is certainly an issue which warrants further scrutiny and discussion.
[1]http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080523-court-smacks-autodesk-affirms-right-to-sell-used-software.html
[2]http://www.davis.ca/en/blog/Video-Game-Law/2007/02/26/WoW-LAWSUIT-OVER-BOT-SOFTWARE
RyanT
2008-07-15 23:42:51
If anyone wants to discuss further, I'll put my email here:
theamazingjanet@hotmail.co.uk
Not my main account, as this is public, but still. I look forward to the in-depth responses, and yes, Saul it seems you've gotten my position correct.
I might elaborate in future, which will most likely go down the path of the likes of the GPL and propriatary models purely becoming applicable to development, and only being extended in fringe cases, and the standard model of ownership being the common/middle ground. Even if not agreed upon by some, it would certainly be more agreeable than the licensed proprietary model (I hope).
RyanT
2008-07-15 23:44:34
Roy Schestowitz
2008-07-16 17:27:51