MPAA Forced To Take Down University Toolkit 292
bobbocanfly writes "Ubuntu developer Matthew Garrett has succeeded in getting the MPAA to remove their 'University Toolkit' after claims it violated the GNU GPL. After several unsuccessful attempts to contact the MPAA directly, Garrett eventually emailed the group's ISP and the violating software was taken down."
He should also sue... (Score:5, Insightful)
for copyright infringement as well.
Now that would be poetic justice.
Re:Encouraging result (Score:5, Insightful)
The delicious irony here is that the MPAA drafted the DMCA and were primarily responsible for pushing it through Congress.
Re:Explanation. (Score:2, Insightful)
I don't see the standard package manager anywhere in the MPAA UT Admin Guide [universitytoolkit.com] (PDF). It appears to go straight from the splash screen to the "Peerwatch" configuration.
Besides, the GPL section 3 is pretty clear on this: if you're not distributing source code yourself (option a), or a written offer to sell it (option b), then you must "Accompany [the program] with the information you received as to the offer to distribute corresponding source code". Unless you count disassembling the install CD, they haven't met this at all.
Or are you suggesting that each distro made from Ubuntu must have its own separate repository for the source? That clearly flies in the face of what already exists.
You're going to have to be more specific. I tried a random sampling of a few Ubuntu-derived distro, and I couldn't find one that didn't meet at least one of the GPL's 3 options:
- Xubuntu's download page [ubuntu.com] has a "source" folder along with all the torrents
- MEPIS's store page [mepis.org] has a "Need GPL source code but don't have an Internet connection?" link
- gNewSense seems to have *only* source code (SVN, etc.) on their software page [gnewsense.org]
- Ichthux's download page [ichthux.com] says "1. Download Kubuntu" -- they're *just* a meta-package you install later
Re:Actually (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:"Simple email" (Score:2, Insightful)
Nomenclature, please (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:"Simple email" (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Encouraging result (Score:5, Insightful)
Don't think that's true. (Score:5, Insightful)
If you violate one of the GPL terms, your license to use the software is terminated. Fine. However, as long as the software is still being offered to anyone under the GPL, you can just go, conform to every part of the GPL, and use it again. You can think of it as one license being terminated, but then going and getting a new one; the GPL is an "infinite stack" of licenses: all you need to do to get a new one is to play by the rules.
There's nothing in the GPL that says 'if you violate this once, you're out for good,' although I'm not sure that would be an entirely terrible idea. But that license-termination clause doesn't necessarily imply that.
Re:Except in one scenario (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Obvious retaliation (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:A new low has been acheived here on Slashdot... (Score:5, Insightful)
i like the post article (Score:4, Insightful)
No, this is all just a joke. Really.
>I don't nor does the Slashdotters posting here except the rabid, fanatical F/OSS fanboys.
How can you assert that? Did you do a survey?
>This is not a victory.
Then tell us what it is.
>Silly kids, go trim your neck beards and worship Stallman some more.
How do you know "kids" are responsible for this? What backs up your suggestion that if they are kids that they are silly? How old do you think Matthew Garrett is? Go google it.
Maybe you should take a chill pill and leave this topic alone if you aren't interested in it. You are making baseless assertions just to try and stir shit.
You come across as a dumb ass.
Re:Encouraging result (Score:4, Insightful)
It probably stings terribly to be spanked with a paddle of your own design and construction.
Re:Obvious retaliation (Score:1, Insightful)
But in the interest of answering a triple digit
In so doing, they have become what they claim to fight, criminals. (Punchline)
And if the parallels of the crumbled soviet empire, and subsequent rise in public corruption happens to be an easy comedic instrument of irony so be it.
I know if I had something I wanted to stay out of the hands of the US gov't, i'd put it in Russia, China, Iran, or anywhere else the civil arm of the US is batted aside like so much putty.
-ori
Re:aww... (Score:3, Insightful)
This is slander! Or libel! Or something!
Re:A new low has been acheived here on Slashdot... (Score:1, Insightful)
2. LiveJournal servers slashdotted to hell
3. ???
4. geekocalypse!
--
5. Profit?
Re:A new low has been acheived here on Slashdot... (Score:5, Insightful)
Copyright laws do need to be changed to take reality into account, but the issue here is that the software is being distributed in violation of the license. Copyright law is just the "enforcement stick" of this license.