🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1isogrINN3k3@early-bird.think.com> barmar@think.com (Barry Margolin) writes:
>>I now decide to write C, which also uses subroutine S.  If I take S from A,
>>C is infected with the GPL.  If I take S from B, C is not.
>>Yet the two copies of S are still identical, byte for byte.  I'm stuck; any
>>third party can say "oh, you just took S from the GPL program.  So C falls
>>under the GPL, so I can copy C".  Can _this_ happen and is _this_ intended?
>Just because he thinks it came from the GPL program doesn't make it so.
>I don't think someone receiving C can sue you over this, as there is no
>contract between you and he that says anything about source availability.

No, no, it's not the party receiving C who sues.  It's my competitor who
copies.  "You took it from C" is just my competitor's excuse for pirating my
work.  _I_ have to sue _him_; his possession of the excuse "well, he took it
from C, so it's GPLed and freely copyable" is his defense against my claim
that he pirated my stuff.
--
"On the first day after Christmas my truelove served to me...  Leftover Turkey!
On the second day after Christmas my truelove served to me...  Turkey Casserole
    that she made from Leftover Turkey.
[days 3-4 deleted] ...  Flaming Turkey Wings! ...
   -- Pizza Hut commercial (and M*tlu/A*gic bait)

Ken Arromdee (arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu, arromdee@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu)