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Copyright Protection Problems For OSS Project

An anonymous reader writes "There's a federal case in the Northern District of California where copyright for open source is being challenged. The free software project JMRI discovered that a commercial company was using some of their files in a product, in violation of the license. They added a copyright claim to an ongoing legal action about cybersquatting, software patent abuse, etc. The patent case was covered on Slashdot back in June but the copyright part is new. The other side came back with an argument that copyright law didn't apply, simply because they software was 'being given away for free.'"

4 of 390 comments (clear)

  1. Naked woman on the roof! by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    You can't wave your boobs around from the balcony expecting everyone who looks to toss you some beads. Once you're out there, you're out there and if no one gives you a strand then that's really your own fault for putting yourself on the line in the first place.

    It is kind of weird to expect that someone ought to play your game when you've already given up your whole hand.

    1. Re:Naked woman on the roof! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Boy do you sure live up to your nick.

  2. Re:FRIST PSOT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    btw, FOSS blows donkey chunks.

    So when did your mother change her name to "FOSS"?

  3. The important legal question by Guppy06 · · Score: 4, Funny

    "The other side came back with an argument that copyright law didn't apply, simply because they software was 'being given away for free.'""

    Have you ever seen milk come out of a judge's nose?