From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.0 (2014-02-07) on aws-us-west-2-korg-lkml-1.web.codeaurora.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.5 required=3.0 tests=HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS, MAILING_LIST_MULTI,SPF_PASS,URIBL_BLOCKED,URIBL_SBL,URIBL_SBL_A, USER_AGENT_MUTT autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.0 Received: from mail.kernel.org (mail.kernel.org [198.145.29.99]) by smtp.lore.kernel.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0E75CC43382 for ; Fri, 28 Sep 2018 03:57:16 +0000 (UTC) Received: from vger.kernel.org (vger.kernel.org [209.132.180.67]) by mail.kernel.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id DFF7021547 for ; Fri, 28 Sep 2018 03:57:14 +0000 (UTC) DMARC-Filter: OpenDMARC Filter v1.3.2 mail.kernel.org DFF7021547 Authentication-Results: mail.kernel.org; dmarc=none (p=none dis=none) header.from=thyrsus.com Authentication-Results: mail.kernel.org; spf=none smtp.mailfrom=linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1728672AbeI1KSx (ORCPT ); Fri, 28 Sep 2018 06:18:53 -0400 Received: from thyrsus.com ([71.162.243.5]:32844 "EHLO snark.thyrsus.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1726060AbeI1KSx (ORCPT ); Fri, 28 Sep 2018 06:18:53 -0400 Received: by snark.thyrsus.com (Postfix, from userid 1000) id 3D9583A42A1; Thu, 27 Sep 2018 23:56:48 -0400 (EDT) Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2018 23:56:48 -0400 From: "Eric S. Raymond" To: freedomfromruin@aaathats3as.com Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: Licenses and revocability, in a paragraph or less. Message-ID: <20180928035648.GA27803@thyrsus.com> Reply-To: esr@thyrsus.com Mail-Followup-To: esr@thyrsus.com, freedomfromruin@aaathats3as.com, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org References: <6ed65e31150937cad0733374eb8a9ef4@aaathats3as.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <6ed65e31150937cad0733374eb8a9ef4@aaathats3as.com> Organization: Eric Conspiracy Secret Labs X-Eric-Conspiracy: There is no conspiracy User-Agent: Mutt/1.9.4 (2018-02-28) Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org Precedence: bulk List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org freedomfromruin@aaathats3as.com : > As has been stated in easily accessible terms elsewhere: > "Most courts hold that simple, non-exclusive licenses with unspecified > durations that are silent on revocability are revocable at will. This means > that the licensor may terminate the license at any time, with or without > cause." + Furthermore, license revocation is not the only option. In Jacobsen vs. Katzer (535 F.3d 1373 (Fed. Cir. 2008) it was found that open-source developers have an actionable right not to have their software misappropriated even though the resulting damages are only reputational rather than monetary. Under that theory, developers can seek an injunction against a misappropriating party without globally revoking their license. The application of that case law to this situation is left as an easy exercise for the reader. Any competent paralegal could write the brief in an evening. Hell, I could almost do it myself. I do not personally want to see this happen. But that it is possible is a fact all parties must deal with. -- Eric S. Raymond My work is funded by the Internet Civil Engineering Institute: https://icei.org Please visit their site and donate: the civilization you save might be your own.