[ale] OT: Can a cat be an end user?

[Pete Hardie]

On Fri, Feb 20, 2009 at 14:47, Sean McNealy <sean.mcnealy at gmail.com> wrote:
> Unfortunately, I'd think that since you hadn't agreed to the "License
> Agreement" that you probably have not acquired any rights to use the
> software that you are downloading.
>
> The problem is that software is copyright and not just a trade secret.
>  So even though you are in possession of the binaries, only the cat is
> allowed under the license to load and execute the software.
>
> Now you could easily complain about that last statement with a number
> of arguments, but enforcing EULAs is still a weird area, anyway.  I
> don't think this gets you anywhere, nor does it make anything
> simpler...  Heck, enforcing the GPL is difficult, and that's clearer
> and fairer than most EULAs.  And you can't have your cat accept the
> GPL and then suddenly be allowed to sell an altered, closed-source
> linux, can you?

No, but you could still *use* the software.

The GPL (v2, at least) doesn't restrict usage so much as distribution.


>
> -Sean
>
> On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 6:46 PM, Jim Philips <philips_jim at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>> Yes, if it clicks on the EULA.
>>
>> http://www.ohesso.com/essays/essay006.htm
>>
>> Next, they'll trick it into illegal file sharing. Will the RIAA prosecute?
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