KOReader: a free electronic-book reader for e-ink devices

Posted Apr 21, 2022 13:23 UTC (Thu) by anselm (subscriber, #2796)
In reply to: KOReader: a free electronic-book reader for e-ink devices by farnz
Parent article: KOReader: a free electronic-book reader for e-ink devices

If my program complies with section 13 by offering code to its users, but the network blocks that offer, I'm in compliance - you'd need the court to rule that the network is in scope to get the proxy trick barred, and that's a reach.

The intent behind the source-code download provision in the AGPL is obviously that actual end users of the service do indeed get the opportunity to download the corresponding source code. Resorting to technical subterfuge to make that deliberately impossible, in order to deprive end users of a privilege expressly included in the license by the original licensor of the code, probably won't fly. On the whole, courts don't like subterfuge.

One could even argue that it is your duty as the operator of the service to ensure that “the network” does not interfere unduly with what you are legally obliged to provide to the end users of your service. “Too bad, that naughty proxy is beyond my control” is unlikely to work as an excuse when it is in fact simpler to not have the proxy in the first place, and when there are countless hosting providers that will let you do exactly that.