china buying software

[Douglas Pollard]

On 01/20/2011 08:29 AM, Christopher Chan wrote:
> On Thursday, January 20, 2011 09:07 PM, Liam Proven wrote:
>> On Thu, Jan 20, 2011 at 12:50 PM, Amedee Van Gasse
>> <amedee-ubuntu at amedee.be>  wrote:
>>> On Thu, January 20, 2011 02:54, Cybe R. Wizard wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 20 Jan 2011 02:42:54 +0100
>>>> Jan Claeys<lists at janc.be>  wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Unfortunately, there are probably as many illegal copies of linux
>>>>> made/sold in China as there are illegal copies of Windows
>>>>
>>>> How is an illegal copy of Linux even possible?
>>>>
>>>> Cybe R. Wizard
>>>> -- 
>>>> Registered GNU/Linux user # 126326
>>>> Registered Ubuntu User # 2136
>>>
>>> It's ironic that a Registered GNU/Linux user doesn't know that it is
>>> possible to have an illegal copy of Linux. ;-)
>>
>> Actually, I think that Cybe's is a good question and none of the
>> responses to it here really satisfy me as answers.
>>
>> If the /distributor/ has screwed up&  not me the terms of the GPL,
>> that does not, AIUI, make the /users/ responsible. IOW the copies of
>> Linux are not "illegal", it is the creator/distributor that is falling
>> foul.
>>
>>
>
> Copies are illegal if you do not point to where the recipient can get 
> the source if they wish. If you make a copy and give it to somebody 
> else, then you are already a distributor and no longer a user. Of 
> course, making copies of standard distro isos will most assuredly not 
> be illegal since we can point them to any mirror at any time.
>
         It seems like that if I had a bundle of money and wanted to 
make I-Pads I could go to China and set up a company to do that.  I 
could own 49% and China would own 51% we would make I-pads and ship them 
all over the world and nobody could do anything about it.   If I owned 
51% I might be breaking American law and might be prosecuted.  Maybe!  
Seems to me the whole thing is a matter of Anarchy in industry in spite 
of the law..
         Anarchy is what industry operates on, if it is to be 
successful.  Industries that are given a monopoly will at some point 
fail.  I believe that 150 years of monopaly in any field of endevor will 
cause the fail of that industry.  Even Linux might collapse in that 
time. The difference is we all will have had the chance to use and 
improve it..    So maybe it won't.
         Not that it makes any difference what I think but a lifetime 
monopoly on and Idea seems too long to me anyway.  A country gives a 
monopoly on an idea for longer than a lifetime and that only stifles 
industry where a patent is for 20 years and encourages it.   There is a 
good profit to be made and then everyone can make use of the idea. That 
serves the good of the country and maybe the world.
                                                                         
                             Doug