Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S932094AbWBBQIZ (ORCPT ); Thu, 2 Feb 2006 11:08:25 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S932096AbWBBQIZ (ORCPT ); Thu, 2 Feb 2006 11:08:25 -0500 Received: from smtp.osdl.org ([65.172.181.4]:48028 "EHLO smtp.osdl.org") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S932094AbWBBQIZ (ORCPT ); Thu, 2 Feb 2006 11:08:25 -0500 Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2006 08:04:49 -0800 (PST) From: Linus Torvalds To: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Emilio_Jes=C3=BAs_Gallego_Arias?= cc: Karim Yaghmour , Filip Brcic , Glauber de Oliveira Costa , Thomas Horsten , linux-kernel Subject: Re: GPL V3 and Linux - Dead Copyright Holders In-Reply-To: <87mzha85sc.fsf@babel.ls.fi.upm.es> Message-ID: References: <43DE57C4.5010707@opersys.com> <5d6222a80601301143q3b527effq526482837e04ee5a@mail.gmail.com> <200601302301.04582.brcha@users.sourceforge.net> <43E0E282.1000908@opersys.com> <43E1C55A.7090801@drzeus.cx> <87mzha85sc.fsf@babel.ls.fi.upm.es> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: MULTIPART/MIXED; BOUNDARY="21872808-1557789509-1138896289=:21884" Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 1844 Lines: 48 This message is in MIME format. The first part should be readable text, while the remaining parts are likely unreadable without MIME-aware tools. --21872808-1557789509-1138896289=:21884 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT On Thu, 2 Feb 2006, Emilio Jesús Gallego Arias wrote: > > 1.- Distribute a kernel with some DRM built-in under the GPL. > > 2.- Claim that such kernel is an effective technological measure to > protect copyright. > > 3.- You are no longer free to modify that kernel, (removing the DRM > module) or you can be sued under the DMCA, for circumventing an > effective technological measure. I don't believe that for a second. The law is not a mindless computer that just follows orders. It's interpreted by human beings. And the DMCA has been interpreted already in real lawsuits to mean that "circumvention" is not "anything you say is circumvention". See the decision on garage door openers, for example. Besides, the people who inserted the DRM code explicitly gave you permission to modify it, so the whole point is moot. There's no "circumvention". The fact is, you can always come up with made-up problems, and try to solve them. That's what "Throwing out the baby with the bath-water" _means_ for christ sake! Using a solution that has _known_ problems (GPLv3) for a problem that you made up and don't even know it's real. In engineering, it's called over-desiging, and it's stupid. In law, it's called "billable hours", and it's encouraged. Linus --21872808-1557789509-1138896289=:21884-- - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/