RealNetworks goes open source - sort of [LWN.net]

RealNetworks goes open source - sort of

Posted Jul 25, 2002 12:34 UTC (Thu) by edmundo (guest, #616)
In reply to: RealNetworks goes open source - sort of by james
Parent article: RealNetworks goes open source - sort of

> That shouldn't be a problem: the GNU GPL allows for similar
> restrictions.

The bit you quoted is restricted to the case where "distribution
and/or use of the Program is restricted in certain countries either by
patents or by copyrighted interfaces", which isn't the case here.

> Maybe this is one area where the GPL does need revision: shouldn't
> national and UN embargoes also be valid reasons for geographical
> restriction?

Er, no. There's no reason to put such restrictions into the licence.
If it's a criminal offence for people in country X to export the
software to country Y, there's no point in making it a copyright
violation as well, and keeping the licence up to date with the current
political situation is likely to be difficult.

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