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Re: The GPL is the way to go
From: |
Alexander Terekhov |
Subject: |
Re: The GPL is the way to go |
Date: |
Fri, 24 Nov 2006 17:41:52 +0100 |
rjack wrote:
>
> First:
> "Eben Moglen: Yeh, I also make lawyers, I teach something called "Law
> and The Information Society", I'm not too keen on "cyberspace". I'm the
> general counsel of the Free Software Foundation, and I'm trying to
> report on the revolution which is destroying intellectual property. Of
> which I am entirely in favour."
> http://ciaran.compsoc.com/texts/eben-moglen-dmca-and-you.html
Second:
"Eben Moglen*
I am a historian and a computer programmer, but primarily I am a lawyer.
My research, ongoing for a decade, follows a purely experimental
paradigm:
1. Try to create freedom by destroying illegitimate power sheltered
behind intellectual property law.
2. See what happens.
Early results are encouraging.
Current research proceeds by facilitating high-energy collisions between
widely-dispersed non-homogeneous randomly-motivated incremental acts of
individual creativity and large masses of ill-gotten wealth. The primary
collision domain is the thin layer of executable software that enables
production and distribution of all zero marginal-cost goods (bitstreams)
in a globally transformed economy.[1] Ongoing complete destruction of
monopoly control in this layer triggers secondary fission in adjacent
layers (music; video; literary as well as scientific, technical and
medical publishing; higher education policy; criminal prosecution vel
non of scientists and scholars; etc.) Observation is complicated because
collisions occur in an atmosphere heavily contaminated by wide-scale
political bribery.[2] Despite observational difficulties, multiple
independent observers report increased likelihood of basic
transformative shifts in loci of political control and social authority.
This phenomenon is conventionally described in the relevant literature
as ``revolution.''[3]
* Professor of Law, Columbia Law School. General Counsel, Free Software
Foundation.
1 See Moglen, Anarchism Triumphant: Free Software and the Death of
Copyright, First Monday (1999) (mult. repr.) (mult. trans.).
2 See Moglen, The Invisible Barbecue, 97 Colum. L. Rev. 945 (1997).
3 See Moglen, The DotCommunist Manifesto (2003). See and hear Moglen,
The DotCommunist Manifesto: How Culture Became Property and What We're
Going to Do About It (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,
November 8, 2001). See also Crane Brinton, The Anatomy of Revolution
(New York, Prentice-Hall: 1952) (mult. repr.) (unfree); Barrington
Moore, Jr., Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy; Lord and
Peasant in the Making of the Modern World (Boston, Beacon Press: 1966)
(mult. repr.) (unfree); Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels, Manifesto of the
Communist Party, (English ed. London, 1888) (Engels ed.) (mult. repr.)
(mult. trans.)."
http://emoglen.law.columbia.edu/research-agenda.html
>
> Next:
> "As for Novell, the charge is rather simple. The agreement violates GPL
> 2. It certainly does so in spirit if not the letter. But, I think a case
> can easily be made that it also violates the letter. . .
>
> But, what tort has Microsoft committed? And does it matter that Novell
> apparently called them first? At the present time âintentional
> interference with contractual relationsâ comes to mind. . .
>
> Now it would appear that the FSF (Free Software Foundation) as holders
> of many of the copyrights relating to the Linux kernel and other
> applications has decided not to pursue legal redress against Novell or
> even Microsoft. Or, at least that is the current position. That may
> change however."
> http://lamlaw.com/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=23
>
> How can an esteemed professor of law (Moglen) who favors the
> "destruction" of intellectual property pass up the opportunity for legal
> redress against Novell or Microsoft thereby demonstrating to the world
> that the GPL is the way to accomplish a goal?
>
> Could it be possible that Moglen does *not* wish court scrutiny of the
> GPL under copyright and contract law?
> 1) Perhaps the is GPL is unenforcable under contract law.
> 2) Perhaps the GPL is preempted under 17 USC sec. 301.
> 3) Perhaps the GPL is a misuse of copyright.
>
> One things seems certain. Moglen is obviously in no hurry to find out.
>
> Three guarantees in life:
> 1) Death.
> 2) Taxes.
> 3) Pigs will fly before the Free Software Foundation ever files to
> enforce the mighty GPL in a U.S. court.
:-)
regards,
alexander.