(Untitled)

[hawksmoor]

Long damn time since I've posted, but I figured I throw this out there for those interested, and I know at least a couple of you are...

It seems that it's essentially okay for the military to pirate software if they feel like it. Great job, Congress, gotta love that DMCA.

Comments

[snaketao]

Wow, that is a bizarre case. You'd think that a branch of the military would have the same kind of ownership agreement with its engineers that the vast majority of private sector companies have with theirs. As an example, see the case of the gentleman who developed the Bratz doll while still working for Mattel. He was sued and lost (so now Mattel has a stake in Bratz.)

In this particular court case, it would appear that the armed services are immune to any sort of licence agreements, becuase the agreements cannot be enforced in the courts due to soverign immunity.

Bizarre.

[driftpeasant]

I'm not sure the issues are quite as cut and dried as the article makes them out to be.

The guy wasn't a contractor, he was a sergeant in the Air Force. Now the USAF may well be wwaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy behind the times on invention rights (I know I had to sign away rights to anything I come up with while on Terminal B's payroll), but I think that the case of an NCO is different than the case of, say, a civilian contractor.

Still, yeah, definitely creepy. The US Government should TOTALLY start pirating Windows and see where that gets them.

[snaketao]

Or not. The New York Stock Exchange runs on Red Hat Linux because Windows is just plain too unstable, and crashes equal MAJOR losses for NYX.

The last thing we need is the launch codes on a copy of Windows Vista. :p

[ceejishi]

Where have you been hiding?