Launchpad to be free

Thomas Charron twaffle at gmail.com
Sun Mar 1 07:14:55 EST 2009


On Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 9:16 PM, Ben Scott <dragonhawk at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 8:43 AM, Greg Rundlett
> <greg_rundlett at harvard.edu> wrote:
>> Sourceforge's TOS basically "All your code are belong to
>> us" (you grant them a proprietary license [1]).
>  That's a bit much.  Now, their TOS are confusing, no doubt about it.
>  But in addition what you're looking at, they also state "Except for
> Feedback ... COMPANY claims no ownership or control over any Content.
> You ... retain all intellectual property rights ...".  Certainly, at
> *NO* point, do they claim proprietary rights (ownership).  Don't
> believe everything you read on Wikipedia.  They also qualify some of
> their licensing statements with "... on SourceForge.net".  It reads
> like an overzealous lawyer trying to make sure they have the right to
> actually do what they're trying to do, i.e., copy and distribute
> content.

Here's the crux of the complaints against sourceforges TOS:

First Killing, the definition of content includes the software:
"As used throughout these Terms, "Content" means any text, data,
software, music, sound, photograph, graphic, video, message, or
material, whether publicly posted, or privately transmitted via
SourceForge.net"

And then, the granting of an entirely new license.  Note the right the
'rent and resell':
"By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through
SourceForge.net, you grant COMPANY a worldwide, non-exclusive,
irrevocable, perpetual, fully sublicensable, royalty-free license to
use, reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, create derivative works
from, publish, perform, display, rent, resell and distribute such
Content (in whole or part) on SourceForge.net and incorporate Content
in other works, in any form, media, or technology developed by
COMPANY, though COMPANY is not required to incorporate Feedback into
any COMPANY products or services. COMPANY reserves the right to
syndicate Content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through
SourceForge.net and use that Content in connection with any service
offered by COMPANY. "


>  Did you know that by posting content (like your message) to the
> GNHLUG server, you granting anyone the right to publish, duplicate,
> and/or redistribute your content?  We do that because otherwise
> running this list might be considered copyright infringement.

  Not in the same ballpark as the sourceforge issue.

-- 
-- Thomas



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