Re: GPL and NDAs

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Article #23078

#23078

From: Jeffrey B. Siegal
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2000 00:00

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Isaac wrote:
> Written and signed ones would be legal, but no one sells software over
> the counter like this.

Actually:

1. Nobody said anything about over-the-counter.  Plenty of software is sold
with a direct sales force and signed license agreements.  Probably *much* more
(especially in dollar terms) than is sold over the counter.

2. Web-click licenses may have the same legal effect as a signed paper
license, especially in jurisdictions which have passed digital signature
legislation.  In any case, they would seem to have more validity than
shrink-wraps, since the execution of the license occurs prior to the
sale/transfer.

3. In this context it doesn't matter whether anybody actually does this
currently.  One of two things must be true:
   a) Transfer of ownership is not essential to "distribution" under GPL, or
   b) GPL can be circumvented with valid (i.e. non-shrinkwrap) licenses,
because no transfer of 
      ownership occurs.

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<y4902dyklq.fsf@mailhost.neuroinformatik.ruhr-uni-bochum.de> <84ga7c$mih$1@nntp3.atl.mindspring.net> <1999Dec30.151712.1@eisner> <386BD144.22362F3A@gmx.de> <o5wvpubn8g.fsf@tofu.to.cygnus.com> <386E890B.1B191CB@gmx.de> <o5iu1bnlr9.fsf@toenail.to.cygnus.com> <3871419C.7D23AE72@gmx.de> <38805954.BC45E825@quiotix.com> <qhu2kefjv0.fsf@ruckus.brouhaha.com> <38819C4C.BD383DFD@quiotix.com> <qh7lha9fms.fsf@ruckus.brouhaha.com> <38839E3D.22DE182E@gmx.de> <qhwvp8paaw.fsf@ruckus.brouhaha.com> <388F8A3B.19C57187@home.com> <86pjhm$crf$1@justus.ecc.lu> <m2k8kryeac.fsf@barnowl.demon.co.uk> <871va3$dm3$1@pyrite.mv.net> <3894AE0F.7DD7547C@quiotix.com> <3894EB2B.EC6F5A45@home.com> <389540A7.6012E51F@quiotix.com> <slrn89b8nb.4u.isaac@latveria.castledoom.org>

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From: "Jeffrey B. Siegal" <jbs@quiotix.com>
Subject: Re: GPL and NDAs
Date: 2000/01/31
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References: <y4902dyklq.fsf@mailhost.neuroinformatik.ruhr-uni-bochum.de> <84ga7c$mih$1@nntp3.atl.mindspring.net> <1999Dec30.151712.1@eisner> <386BD144.22362F3A@gmx.de> <o5wvpubn8g.fsf@tofu.to.cygnus.com> <386E890B.1B191CB@gmx.de> <o5iu1bnlr9.fsf@toenail.to.cygnus.com> <3871419C.7D23AE72@gmx.de> <38805954.BC45E825@quiotix.com> <qhu2kefjv0.fsf@ruckus.brouhaha.com> <38819C4C.BD383DFD@quiotix.com> <qh7lha9fms.fsf@ruckus.brouhaha.com> <38839E3D.22DE182E@gmx.de> <qhwvp8paaw.fsf@ruckus.brouhaha.com> <388F8A3B.19C57187@home.com> <86pjhm$crf$1@justus.ecc.lu> <m2k8kryeac.fsf@barnowl.demon.co.uk> <871va3$dm3$1@pyrite.mv.net> <3894AE0F.7DD7547C@quiotix.com> <3894EB2B.EC6F5A45@home.com> <389540A7.6012E51F@quiotix.com> <slrn89b8nb.4u.isaac@latveria.castledoom.org>
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