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Public domain isn't a license of a copyrighted work, it's you denying that your copyright exists at all. This isn't legally valid in some countries like Germa
by MichaelCollins 4y ago
Public domain isn't a license of a copyrighted work, it's you denying that your copyright exists at all. This isn't legally valid in some countries like Germany, but if you did it anyway they're not going to send gestapo to stop you.
Corporations with lawyers up their ass aren't going to like something ostensibly put into the public domain by a German who technically can't do that, but lawyers don't like the WTFPL either, so it makes little difference.
- kube-system 4y agoThe issue isn't the gestapo coming in, it's that, if a person never legally disclaimed copyright, the work is still subject to copyright. > "hey use my stuff it's public domain" > "ok thanks" > "Ha! gotcha! Here's your lawsuit, pay up!"
- MichaelCollins 4y agoTechnically possible; something lawyers would worry about. A problem for corporations that have to listen to lawyers. For common people? Not a problem. No German has ever been sued for using SQLite.
- josephcsible 4y agoKeep the Law of Strict Licenses [1] in mind, though: > Every FOSS license must be interpreted as strictly as possible in case the copyright holder is bought by Oracle. [1] https://gavinhoward.com/2022/01/the-law-of-strict-licenses/ https://gavinhoward.com/2022/01/the-law-of-strict-licenses/
- MichaelCollins 4y agoThere's nothing stopping Oracle for claiming SQLite violates some of their patents and suing the world for it. They don't even need to buy SQLite for that. If you're a billion dollar corporation, then you've already lawyered up and prepared for innumerable scenarios. If you're Joe Random like most of us, just get over it and move on with your life.
- kube-system 4y agoIs FOSS merely for hobbyists, or should Fedora be something that large organizations can trust?
- amyjess 4y agoDoes Germany not have any concept of promissory estoppel?
- yc202207253987 4y agoSo then what are the options for a German who can't use CC0 now? Other distros are sure to follow suit and CC0 was the go to license for mostly everyone outside the US.
- MichaelCollins 4y agoGermans can still use the CC0. If a linux distro or anybody else think that isn't okay, the German developer can laugh and say that's the distro's problem, not their own.