[d@DCC] RE: Your Visit to SCO, the GPL, and FLOSS law/public policy.

From: "Chris Brand" <Chris_Brand _-at-_ spectrumsignal.com>
To: "General Discussion" <discuss (at) digital-copyright.ca>
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 09:53:22 -0700

>  While we can question and even ridicule the practices of non-free
>software companies who try to point fingers at us for our fully public and
>accountable practices (while their practices are unknown, unaccountable,
>and most likely extremely lax)

Careful here, Russell. If they're unknown and unaccountable, how can you
say that they are "most likely" extremely lax ? "possibly", I'd be ok with.

As someone who gets paid to write non-free software, I'd say that it varies
hugely from place to place. Granted, you are less likely to "get caught"
if you break the rules, but the costs if you are caught can be immense.
Awareness of IP issues is rising all the time, so people are more likely
to actually read the copyright notice on a piece of code before copying
it (and then either go ahead knowing that it's ok, go ahead knowing that
it's not ok or not go ahead).

I think it's fine to point out that non-free software companies have
unknown unaccountable practices, but we should stop before spreading FUD 
by saying that they are "most likely extremely lax".

Chris

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