[Gllug] Ho Hum - of course no linux for world community grid...

[Dennis Furey]

On Mon, Nov 29, 2004 at 11:18:51AM +0000, Andrew Halliwell wrote:
> And verily, didst Jan Minar announce to the hordes:
> > 
> > On Mon, Nov 22, 2004 at 06:23:32AM +0000, Martin A. Brooks wrote:
> > > Rich Walker wrote:
> > > 
> > > >   (a) we can break your computer
> > > >   (b) we can change the license without telling you
> > > >   (c) American law applies to your computer.
> > > > 
> > > >
> > > 
> > > In fairness, the GPL essentially says that too.
> > 
> > You're terribly terribly wrong.  GPL does not change (b) -- the question
> > of validity of such a self-changing license let be put aside now.
> 
> heh, think of the possibilities...
> Dear user, we hereby notify you of the following change to your software
> license, the change takes place immediately.
> 
> THE USER HEREBY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SURRENDERS HIMSELF AND HIS FIRSTBORN
> INTO INDENTURED SERVITUDE FOR A PERIOD OF NOT LESS THAN 10 YEARS FROM THE
> DATE OF THIS CHANGE IN LICENSE. THE USER SHALL BE COLLECTED FROM THE
> LICENSED ADDRESS AND SHOULD PRESENT HIMSELF WILLINGLY. A BLACK VAN WILL
> CARRY HIM TO HIS NEW MASTER AND CAGE.
> 
> :)
> 

nice idea, but copywright law empowers copywright holders only to
impose reasonable conditions that are related to copying and
distribution of the work, not necessarily anything they can think of.
It might not fly as a contractual arrangement either because slavery
is illegal and contracts for illegal activities are unenforceable.  On
top of that, the licencee's firstborn might be a minor and therefore
unable to enter into a binding agreement. On the other hand, lots of
software license agreements are just as silly as this one if not more.
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