Re: Possible GPL Violation of Linux in Amstrad's E3 Videophone

From: Kyle Moffett
Date: Sun Oct 03 2004 - 19:24:16 EST


On Oct 03, 2004, at 18:01, Alan Cox wrote:
On Sul, 2004-10-03 at 12:46, Willy Tarreau wrote:
Hmmm interesting clause which would make them think before they steal the
code. Perhaps they would take more time to separate open and closed code
then. The problem is to define whom this money should be sent to.

Well I was thinking the $100,000 would just be for the bits I wrote in
that one file or that one driver, ....

Wow, that would quickly add up. $100,000 for John Smith's 20 line patch,
$100,000 for Jane Hacker's 2 line patch, etc. Ok, under said theoretical
conditions an infringer might owe a _lot_ of money:
$100,000 * 20 hackers * 200 copies sold = $400 million

Heh. At some point the court has to clamp the damages, but those kinds of
numbers would definitely get some attention from the legal staff of said
hypothetical company.

Cheers,
Kyle Moffett

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