3 ms·

I don't think that just because some "bot" did this Microsoft is to be excused. Someone decided that using a piece of software to automatically alter license fi

by Tepix 5y ago

I don't think that just because some "bot" did this Microsoft is to be excused. Someone decided that using a piece of software to automatically alter license files. This is a genuinely stupid idea. And they already fucked up in the same way with the CUPS project. Will they learn without someone taking them to court over this? I don't think so.

misnome 5y ago
I think people should be as forgiving as Microsoft would be if someone “accidentally” changed the licence of Microsoft software and started distributing it.
- doubled112 5y ago
  My copy of Daz's Windows Loader accidentally activated my Windows pre-upgrade. It was just accidentally run in a script. No worries right?
  - nexuist 5y ago
    I don't know what point you're trying to prove here, since I don't think I've ever heard of Microsoft suing individuals for illegal Windows keys and certainly not in the past 10 years. If you start an LLC and attempt to commercialize on piracy then you'll probably get sued, but regardless they are a lot more lax than, say, Oracle on this issue.
    - IgorPartola 5y ago
      FWIW it does look like a bug in a bit and not company policy to me. But having said that the equivalent situation would be some larger than Microsoft copying their work. For example the US Federal government distributing Windows under the MIT license.
- Dylan16807 5y ago
  The license on something that was already open source?
nickelpro 5y ago
The bot's job was to get MS-originated repos onto the correct standard license for MS open source code. That forked repos got their license changed is an unintentional bug, not something anyone "decided" to do.
- CameronNemo 5y ago
  An unintentional bug that keeps happening. The correct remediation is to disable the bot or feature until it stops violating the law.
wutwutwutwut 5y ago
> Will they learn without someone taking them to court over this? Only on hackernews I see this level of crazyness. You need to reduce your caffein intake drastically.
- genesor 5y ago
  People on HN are completly crazy and uneducated... Whenever there is something like this you can be sure you will find hundreds of insulting or mean comments on the commit or PR... It gives a really bad image of the community.
  - dang 5y ago
    This sort of name-calling breaks the site guidelines badly, regardless of how right you are, or how superior you feel to the rest of the community. If you'd please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the rules when posting here, we'd appreciate it.
- dang 5y ago
  This sort of attack will get you banned here, regardless of how right you are or feel you are. If you'd please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the rules when posting here, we'd appreciate it. Note this one: "When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. 'That is idiotic; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3' can be shortened to '1 + 1 is 2, not 3." and this one: "Please don't sneer, including at the rest of the community."
rvba 5y ago
1) bot changes license 2) bot2 takes data for copilot 3) we are "sorry" for bot 1 4) bot2 took data
ViViDboarder 5y ago
> Someone decided that using a piece of software to automatically alter license files. That doesn’t seem to be the purpose of the bot. It’s supposed to add them to new repos, not alter existing. This ensures that all their projects have an explicit license rather than ambiguously public.

by Tepix 5y ago

misnome 5y ago

I think people should be as forgiving as Microsoft would be if someone “accidentally” changed the licence of Microsoft software and started distributing it.

doubled112 5y ago
My copy of Daz's Windows Loader accidentally activated my Windows pre-upgrade. It was just accidentally run in a script. No worries right?
- nexuist 5y ago
  I don't know what point you're trying to prove here, since I don't think I've ever heard of Microsoft suing individuals for illegal Windows keys and certainly not in the past 10 years. If you start an LLC and attempt to commercialize on piracy then you'll probably get sued, but regardless they are a lot more lax than, say, Oracle on this issue.
  - IgorPartola 5y ago
    FWIW it does look like a bug in a bit and not company policy to me. But having said that the equivalent situation would be some larger than Microsoft copying their work. For example the US Federal government distributing Windows under the MIT license.
Dylan16807 5y ago
The license on something that was already open source?

nickelpro 5y ago

The bot's job was to get MS-originated repos onto the correct standard license for MS open source code. That forked repos got their license changed is an unintentional bug, not something anyone "decided" to do.

CameronNemo 5y ago
An unintentional bug that keeps happening. The correct remediation is to disable the bot or feature until it stops violating the law.

wutwutwutwut 5y ago

> Will they learn without someone taking them to court over this? Only on hackernews I see this level of crazyness. You need to reduce your caffein intake drastically.

genesor 5y ago
People on HN are completly crazy and uneducated... Whenever there is something like this you can be sure you will find hundreds of insulting or mean comments on the commit or PR... It gives a really bad image of the community.
- dang 5y ago
  This sort of name-calling breaks the site guidelines badly, regardless of how right you are, or how superior you feel to the rest of the community. If you'd please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the rules when posting here, we'd appreciate it.
dang 5y ago
This sort of attack will get you banned here, regardless of how right you are or feel you are. If you'd please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the rules when posting here, we'd appreciate it. Note this one: "When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. 'That is idiotic; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3' can be shortened to '1 + 1 is 2, not 3." and this one: "Please don't sneer, including at the rest of the community."

rvba 5y ago

1) bot changes license 2) bot2 takes data for copilot 3) we are "sorry" for bot 1 4) bot2 took data

ViViDboarder 5y ago

> Someone decided that using a piece of software to automatically alter license files. That doesn’t seem to be the purpose of the bot. It’s supposed to add them to new repos, not alter existing. This ensures that all their projects have an explicit license rather than ambiguously public.