Re: Where is the qmail Licence?

Adam McKenna wrote:
> Dan gave me the right to copy it at http://cr.yp.to/qmail/dist.html
The word 'own' does not appear in your reference (I even searched the
hmtl for it). The word distribute does not mean own - whether we are
talking about refrigerators or software. So, you are mistaken.

> a) We own it [qmail] because Dan instructed his web server to give us copies
> b) I can make copies of IBM's pages for my personal use.

If you compare your 2 statements you will see that you think 
a) You own something because it is available for download and 
b) you don't own something because it is available for download. 
Which of these conflicting beliefs *do* you hold? Do you *own* IBM's
pages? I think not. Nor do you own djb's software. Again, a simple
mistake of logic.

> Unless the Kazaa peer was the original author of the song, and held the
> copyright, it would be an illegal copy and I would have no rights.
Exactly. Unless the copyright owner *gives* you the rights. And where
does djb *give* you rights to do anything but distribute?

> If you stopped acting like an idiot, then people on this list might take you more seriously.
Inability to see an argument does not make either party an idiot.
Personal attack is most often used when a party has exhausted logical
argument. 

The simple fact is that *maybe* this 'licence' is valid in the USA,
maybe it is valid in Europe, but it certainly isn't valid in many other
parts of the world. You don't need to take the opinion of this 'idiot'.
Ask a lawyer as others here have done. Or perhaps you don't really care
enough to take this 'seriously', in which case butting out would be your
most dignified option.


-- Andy