On Tuesday 18 Aug 2009, steve wrote:
On 08/17/2009 11:36 PM, Raj Mathur wrote: [snip]
Perhaps it's time to start telling the distributors to have a "US-only" distribution that excludes patent-ridden software, and provide all software by default to the "Rest of the World". A question like, "Do you live in a backward country that has software patents?" at the start of the install would go a long way in establishing what people are missing ;)
Yes, that would be great to do as far as appearances go, but AFAICT, the problem is since Fedora Project is a US based organization and has to play by the rules. They cannot distribute such software nor even support any project that would distribute such software (so for instance, they can't even have such a question on their website with a link to a non-US based server where people can go to). Any other non-US based distro, like for instance Omega which i mentioned can do such a thing though.
Actually, I don't see why they (Fedora) can't do that (have a US-only distribution). Supporting other countries that don't have software patents is not illegal even in the US, nor is it a crime to make patented (in the US) software available from outside the US to non-US residents. The patent laws do not prevent dissemination of information, only dissemination and use of patented software in a specific geographical domain.
To be brutally frank, I consider a distribution trying to extend US laws outside the US an unethical and hegemonistic activity, even if it is done implicitly (as in the case of Fedora). Even 15 years ago other distributions had official non-US repositories from where you could, e.g., download crypto software that was illegal to export from the US. Not permitting access to crypto at all just because of the laws of one country, OTOH, is unacceptable; the same goes for patented-encumbered software.
It's quite possible I'm missing something here, so request anyone here more clued about US patent restrictions in general and Fedora's policy in particular to provide their opinions.
Regards,
-- Raju