Re: [Flightgear-devel] FlightProSim advert on FaceBook

[Arnt K. <ar...@c2...>]

On Tue, 9 Nov 2010 23:46:20 -0000, Vivian wrote in message 
<3C9574CDCBB34CC5B329545212BEC0E4@MAIN>:

> Mally wrote
> 
> > 
> > ?Arnt
> > 
> > I think I have maybe one or two lines of code in FG... I helped fix
> > a bug many moons ago. But I like to keep my interest in case
> > there's anything I can offer in the future.

..one step ahead of me then. :o)

> > Anyway, it's not really about that, and maybe in fact I should not
> > concern myself with this issue given that I really have effectively
> > no direct interest. 

..wrong, your _undue_ passivity builds a legal prejudice and precedence.
The Jews were gassed because they had no defense arriving Auschwitz,
effectively a _due_ passivity, since they had no weapons, and therefore
no choice in _their_ final matter.  

..FG on the other hand, does have weapons with teeth, Copyright 
Law, as the GPL walks away on violations, and the facts.  Now,
copyright law enforcement history, is also a discoverable fact 
in litigation.

> > It still bugs me to see they way this is being
> > touted though. Does anyone else have any thoughts?
> > 
> > Regarding the URL, simple it's www.facebook.com  (as you know) but
> > FaceBook
> > is far from a static page, all composed on the fly and dynamically
> > thereafter using ajax and whatever, so there's no URL I can

..url to your facebook page?  Would be the useful 
one url I meant. ;o)

> > usefully give you. The advert is no longer there for me, though I
> > do have a saved copy of
> > the page with it on, plus a screenshot. Has anyone else seen it?

..nope, url to your screenshot?
 
> This topic raises its head every couple of months or so. So far as we
> can see FlightProSimm is being offered in accordance with the terms
> of GPL, 

..where precisely does flightprosim.com, or Charles Taylor, 
or swiftco.net, offer source code under the GPL?

>  so here is not a lot we can do. Caveat emptor. 

> It is an "affiliate" scheme, which is very close to a pyramid scheme.

..if it adds _any_ new "required" condition to the conditions 
set under the GPL, _that_ new condition is a violation of the
GPL and copyright law.

> It is indeed annoying to see people trying to make money out of our
> work.

..and annoyingly irrelevant too. ;oD

> However, they are offering some added value by selling FG on DVD, 

..how?  That _may_ be another violation of the GPL.

> and we can take some satisfaction from the thought that they are
> perhaps spreading FG wider than we could by our own efforts.
> 
> Vivian

..I disagree, until a lawyer is hired by FG or a copyright 
owner, the best way forward, is contact _anyone_ who publishes
"FlightProSim reviews", and their advertisers, etc, and ask 
them to explain Why In The World are they endorsing and 
promoting software piracy.  And _loudly_. ;o)

-- 
..med vennlig hilsen = with Kind Regards from Arnt... ;o)
...with a number of polar bear hunters in his ancestry...
  Scenarios always come in sets of three: 
  best case, worst case, and just in case.