Re: GPLv3 Position Statement

Alan Cox
2006-09-29T10:43:00Z

Ar Gwe, 2006-09-29 am 12:15 +0200, ysgrifennodd Helge Hafting:
> This seems silly to me. Sure, lasers and medical equipment is
> dangerous if used wrong. When such equipment is
> controlled by software, then changing that software brings
> huge responsibility. But it shouldn't be made impossible.

You will note that large corporations like telcos routinely push for
such legislation and rules to increase the burdens on smaller companies
and prevent competition.

> > - Regulations to prevent unauthorized access to radio frequencies, which
> > is what concerns e.g. cellphone manufacturers.
> >
> Unauthorized use is illegal and easy enough to track down.
> No special protection is needed. And it cannot be enforced
> by making the phones har to modify - any radio amateur knows

Indeed - the regulations exist so that the state can control who makes
phones, ensure they contain the GSM crypto backdoors and don't support
additional voice scrambling or call relay type onion routing etc.

Alan