4 ms·

There's nothing stopping you from typing git clone

by pdntspa 4y ago

jcelerier 4y ago
If you disregard counterfeiting laws, sure
- pdntspa 4y ago
  Counterfeiting laws? Like, seriously? The guy placed the code online in good faith. He didn't follow "protocol" and attach a license, so what. IP laws are toothless wastes of time, anyway. Information wants to be free, so fucking let it.
  - jcelerier 4y ago
    .. yes, seriously? in my country the "default" sanction for copying software unlawfully is three years of prison and a 300000€ fine. Just because the source code is online does not mean that you have the right of even looking at it - last time I read GitHub TOS the only specific rights GH mandated is what they need for allowing the "fork" feature to work in the Github UI (not even as a "git clone" fork) or something like that. > IP laws are toothless wastes of time, anyway. Information wants to be free, so fucking let it. sure, I absolutely agree. It does not mean that people doing the git clone aren't at risk - who knows whether OP wasn't going to start sueing people for using their software unlawfully in a year or so ? there definitely have been worse schemes
    - oyashirochama 4y ago
      IP laws are only as valuable as the amount someone is willing to fight for them.
teddyh 4y ago
Except the law.
- pdntspa 4y ago
  I don't think anyone, let alone the "law", are going to care about a some old DOS shareware open-sourced voluntarily by its original creator, just because he didn't include a license. Maybe if someone steals the code and goes on to make bank writing the next hot new DOS app... Where do you live that your police are so incredibly well-funded and organized enough to pursue these kinds of trivialities? Because mine are still trying to cover their ass after failing to respond to an armed break-in where a woman was murdered in her home by an angry ex who was seen stalking her outside for hours before it happened. When I was a kid I once uploaded some paid software on an online bulletin board... and then freaked out thinking an unmarked van would show up and haul me away. News flash - that never happened.
  - teddyh 4y ago
    Do you only care about the law if there is a risk of you getting caught?
    - pdntspa 4y ago
      Yes, laws are only as good as their enforcement. And there are many unjust laws out there (like copyright). Since their enforcement is so weak, it is as if they don't exist. Further, assuming you live in a common law society and intellectual property violations aren't strict liability, there are a lot of factors around precedent and whether anyone parties were actually hurt. In the United States I doubt merely copying the source code would even be considered criminal, unless you happen to land charges in the most zealous district with the most zealous prosecutor on the planet.
      - teddyh 4y ago
        > Since their enforcement is so weak, it is as if they don't exist. Aaron Swartz Dmitry Sklyarov Peter Sunde Just from the top of my head.

There's nothing stopping you from typing git clone

jcelerier 4y ago

If you disregard counterfeiting laws, sure

pdntspa 4y ago
Counterfeiting laws? Like, seriously? The guy placed the code online in good faith. He didn't follow "protocol" and attach a license, so what. IP laws are toothless wastes of time, anyway. Information wants to be free, so fucking let it.
- jcelerier 4y ago
  .. yes, seriously? in my country the "default" sanction for copying software unlawfully is three years of prison and a 300000€ fine. Just because the source code is online does not mean that you have the right of even looking at it - last time I read GitHub TOS the only specific rights GH mandated is what they need for allowing the "fork" feature to work in the Github UI (not even as a "git clone" fork) or something like that. > IP laws are toothless wastes of time, anyway. Information wants to be free, so fucking let it. sure, I absolutely agree. It does not mean that people doing the git clone aren't at risk - who knows whether OP wasn't going to start sueing people for using their software unlawfully in a year or so ? there definitely have been worse schemes
  - oyashirochama 4y ago
    IP laws are only as valuable as the amount someone is willing to fight for them.

teddyh 4y ago

Except the law.

pdntspa 4y ago
I don't think anyone, let alone the "law", are going to care about a some old DOS shareware open-sourced voluntarily by its original creator, just because he didn't include a license. Maybe if someone steals the code and goes on to make bank writing the next hot new DOS app... Where do you live that your police are so incredibly well-funded and organized enough to pursue these kinds of trivialities? Because mine are still trying to cover their ass after failing to respond to an armed break-in where a woman was murdered in her home by an angry ex who was seen stalking her outside for hours before it happened. When I was a kid I once uploaded some paid software on an online bulletin board... and then freaked out thinking an unmarked van would show up and haul me away. News flash - that never happened.
- teddyh 4y ago
  Do you only care about the law if there is a risk of you getting caught?
  - pdntspa 4y ago
    Yes, laws are only as good as their enforcement. And there are many unjust laws out there (like copyright). Since their enforcement is so weak, it is as if they don't exist. Further, assuming you live in a common law society and intellectual property violations aren't strict liability, there are a lot of factors around precedent and whether anyone parties were actually hurt. In the United States I doubt merely copying the source code would even be considered criminal, unless you happen to land charges in the most zealous district with the most zealous prosecutor on the planet.
    - teddyh 4y ago
      > Since their enforcement is so weak, it is as if they don't exist. Aaron Swartz Dmitry Sklyarov Peter Sunde Just from the top of my head.