discuss: SCO copyright violations on LDP
Subject:
Re: SCO copyright violations on LDP
From:
David Horton ####@####.####
Date:
7 Aug 2003 02:47:03 -0000
Message-Id: <3F31BF48.8000102@megsinet.net>
Tabatha Marshall wrote:
> On Wed, 2003-08-06 at 17:43, David Horton wrote:
>
>>I understand your point about the relicensing. I have been looking
>>on SCO's web site trying to find where the TLDP documents are
>>stored and where SCO is trying to relicense them. I can't find
>>anything. Can you provide me with a link? I'm not trying to be
>>argumentative, I just want to see it first hand.
>
>
> Sure. Visit http://www.sco.com/company/legal/ and head down the page to
> the section entitled, "Software and Documentation Information." It will
> refer you to their copyright, which is in the section directly above.
> This is where SCO appears to be trying to relicense the documents.
>
> The links to the LDP documents are:
> http://docsrv.caldera.com:8457/en/Guides/index.html
> http://docsrv.caldera.com:8457/en/Howto/index.html
> http://docsrv.caldera.com:8457/en/FAQ/index.html
> http://docsrv.caldera.com:8457/en/Framework/reference.html (man pages)
>
> Incidentally, if you check the URLs to the LDP on each of the above
> links, they refer back to the old domain name.
>
> For example, go to the Howto link, and visit Chapter 10 (Copyright) of
> the LDP HOWTO-INDEX. Even without a GFDL, this document states:
>
> "All translations, derivative works, or aggregate works incorporating
> any Linux HOWTO documents must be covered under this copyright notice.
> That is, you may not produce a derivative work from a HOWTO and impose
> additional restrictions on its distribution. Exceptions to these rules
> may be granted under certain conditions; please contact the Linux HOWTO
> coordinator at the address given below."
>
> Though in this case it's not a derative work, except in the sense that
> it's been redistributed, SCO is trying to apply their own copyright and
> restrictions based on their legal statement. The authors of the example
> above also state that they wish to retain copyright on the HOWTO
> documents, and wish notification on plans to redistribute.
>
> So it may not only be the GFDL, but even other types of licenses and
> copyright notices.
>
> Let me know what you think.
>
> Tab
>
I suppose it depends on how one interprets the line ``Caldera documents
available from the World Wide Web ("SCO Documents")'' Does that mean
any and all documents hosted on SCO servers or all SCO-authored
documents hosted on any web servers anywhere? Seems ambiguous to me.
There is also that "Third Party Companies and Products" clause. I'm not
a lawyer, I don't even play one on TV :^), but I would guess that LDP
(TLDP) documents might fall under third party products.
It would be interesting to run this by someone with knowledge of
copyright law.
Dave
