[REBOL] Re: REBster
From: thundrebol:yaho:o at: 10-May-2001 12:52
A P2P-like file sharing system in REBOL is a neat
idea, but it could be risky from a legal standpoint.
If the application includes the ability to circumvent
music (and/or software)copyright laws, apart from your
own skin, I'd be concerned that REBOL Technologies
might be exposed to a nasty lawsuit. It's a crusade
that RT probably doesn't want to get mixed up in right
now.
It's not unusual that the music industry would try to
implicate RT on the grounds that "it specifically
enabled" the illegal activity. I can hear it now:
Your Honor, we would not be here today if not for
REBOL Technologies' blatant disregard for copyright
laws. The fact is, in putting networking technology
well within range of the average computer user, REBOL
Technologies made it far easier to build illegal
messaging applications than any other product in
history. **And yet they did nothing to stop it.**
All kidding aside, I'd avoid anything that could end
up diverting time/resources from RT. If you build a
Napster clone, make sure you confine it to the lab
until you can implement the key security features.
Also, the name "REBster", being a play on "Napster",
isn't a great strategy if you hope to avoid
controversy.
I realize I'm advocating a position that may not be
popular. Right or wrong, though, I'd prefer that RT
keeps its money tied up in software engineers rather
than legal defense.
//Ed
--- Ryan Cole <[ryanc--iesco-dms--com]> wrote:
