Re: [Ksummit-discuss] The linux devs can rescind their license grant.

Theodore Y. Ts'o
2018-10-25T20:47:39Z

On Thu, Oct 25, 2018 at 03:39:01PM -0400, Eric S. Raymond wrote:
>
> Under Jacobsen vs. Katzer (535 f 3d 1373 fed cir 2008) authors of
> GPLed software have a specific right to relief (including injunctive
> relief) against misappropriation of their software. That ruling (which
> was the case of first impression on the binding status of the GPL)
> reputational damage is *specifically* recognized as grounds for relief.

I've read the legal briefs, and I'm pretty sure they don't say what
you are claiming they say. Yes, I'm not a lawyer --- but that's OK
--- neither are you.

> The anti-CoC dissidents don't have to rescind their license grant to
> cause a great deal of trouble.

The *vast* majority of the "anti-CoC dissidents" who have been
advancing this argument, have, as near as I can tell, little or no
copyright ownership in the kernel. They are external trolls who are
not members of the kernel development community, to the best of my
belief and knowledge.

In short; they are adding noise to the conversation, and have been
presuming that in fact people are going to be regularly and summarily
ejected from the community. In short, they are adding FUD, probably
because they have their own agenda.

I would recommend that before people respond such provocation
messages, that they do a quick "git log" and find out whether they
have in fact contributed code to the kernel at all, and if so, how
long ago it was.

Regards,

- Ted