4 ms·

Agreed that there are risks here. I'd be interested to hear from anyone with specific knowledge of the Symbolics situation -- my email address is patrick#collis

by pc 18y ago

Agreed that there are risks here. I'd be interested to hear from anyone with specific knowledge of the Symbolics situation -- my email address is patrick#collison#ie. I've tried to contact David Schmidt (the listed contact at symbolics.com) a few times, but without success. Note, though, that Symbolics machines shipped with the source code (I own one, and have been reading and editing bits and pieces for quite a while). Using this emulated version of Genera is pretty much an orthogonal issue: to the extent that reading the Symbolics source causes IP issues, you're just as screwed if you read it legally.

leoc 18y ago
(proggit crosspost: http://reddit.com/info/6hd0k/comments/c03uonk http://reddit.com/info/6hd0k/comments/c03uonk) Hm, I think my IANAL reflex didn't trigger strongly enough when I was writing my original comment. But I still believe it's a Good Idea to play safe until broader legal fallout is definitively ruled out one way or another. After all, once the genie escapes the bottle it's not going back in no matter what the consequences turn out to be. > to the extent that reading the Symbolics source causes IP issues, you're just as screwed if you read it legally. Very likely, but I wouldn't bet my life on it. Partly because - well, if there is a plausible impression that Project Foo's shiny new VM is based on their study of other people's old code that they gleefully pirated all over the intertubes, then they're practically begging a judge to put together some interpretation of the law under which to hammer them. Ask Corley what being technically in the right guarantees you under those circumstances.
- pc 18y ago
  I still believe it's a Good Idea to play safe until broader legal fallout is definitively ruled out one way or another Ok, then don't use it. Very likely, but I wouldn't bet my life on it. Indeed. But do these "I wouldn't bet my life on it" concerns warrant "KLAXON KLAXON" hysteria? then they're practically begging a judge to put together some interpretation of the law under which to hammer them There's enough legal issues to worry about in life without inventing new scenarios in which you could fall afoul of hypothetical laws.

by pc 18y ago

leoc 18y ago

(proggit crosspost: http://reddit.com/info/6hd0k/comments/c03uonk http://reddit.com/info/6hd0k/comments/c03uonk) Hm, I think my IANAL reflex didn't trigger strongly enough when I was writing my original comment. But I still believe it's a Good Idea to play safe until broader legal fallout is definitively ruled out one way or another. After all, once the genie escapes the bottle it's not going back in no matter what the consequences turn out to be. > to the extent that reading the Symbolics source causes IP issues, you're just as screwed if you read it legally. Very likely, but I wouldn't bet my life on it. Partly because - well, if there is a plausible impression that Project Foo's shiny new VM is based on their study of other people's old code that they gleefully pirated all over the intertubes, then they're practically begging a judge to put together some interpretation of the law under which to hammer them. Ask Corley what being technically in the right guarantees you under those circumstances.

pc 18y ago
I still believe it's a Good Idea to play safe until broader legal fallout is definitively ruled out one way or another Ok, then don't use it. Very likely, but I wouldn't bet my life on it. Indeed. But do these "I wouldn't bet my life on it" concerns warrant "KLAXON KLAXON" hysteria? then they're practically begging a judge to put together some interpretation of the law under which to hammer them There's enough legal issues to worry about in life without inventing new scenarios in which you could fall afoul of hypothetical laws.