I actually would like to know, just out of curiosity, whether FOSS requires what we would probably think of as "platform neutrality", i.e. not restricting the ability of the end-user to use the software in ways that aren't necessarily outside the scope of the software (using a client to connect to a domain using a protocol) but that the developer finds offensive and wishes to remove (posting naughty words, connecting to """"hate"""" domains).
Conversation
Notices
-
チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a (japananon@pawoo.net)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 01:11:45 JST チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a -
チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a (japananon@pawoo.net)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 01:12:20 JST チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a I think most of us would agree that a word processor that auto-erased racial slurs typed in, or a PDF reader that scanned text and refused to load a copy of Mein Kampf would be shitty, and we wouldn't use them. But as far as I can tell, they wouldn't technically be outside the license terms as long as the source code was published. Is that correct?
-
チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a (japananon@pawoo.net)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 01:33:34 JST チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a @why
In that case, would Tusky's decision to effectively block the ability to log in to the Gab domain qualify as a license violation? They appear to be using GPLv3, I would assume that would include similar language to the Firefox example. -
チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a (japananon@pawoo.net)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 01:38:18 JST チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a @shit
I'm asking more from a licencing perspective, as an academic point.Though I suppose I could understand that the requirement to stay open source means anybody can fork out the unpopular elements, so in that sense it would be pointless to add any such neutrality clauses to the license per se...
@why -
チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a (japananon@pawoo.net)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 01:40:37 JST チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a @josemanuel
I've moved on myself, memeing aside. I'm just surprised cases like this haven't come up before, and wondered whether there were any rulings or provisions against arbitrarily infringing usability in FOSS licencing. But as noted, forking and removing is a built-in solution so maybe people already deemed it unnecessary to worry about. -
チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a (japananon@pawoo.net)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 01:58:24 JST チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a @why
I meant "pointless" in the sense that it's pointless to enumerate a specific license clause if the ability to fork around bad-faith restrictions in the software already exists. It would be superfluous.But as somebody else pointed out, assuming the technical ability to fork, modify, and maintain the new version would deprive some users of their rights by some definitions.
@shit -
チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a (japananon@pawoo.net)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 02:03:09 JST チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a @josemanuel
That is a good point, though I imagine it could get a little fuzzy trying to define the boundary of "reasonable ability". While I wouldn't agree with the idea, I'm sure some would argue it isn't the developer's responsibility to cater to users with low technical ability. -
Protected Moomin (moonman@shitposter.club)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 04:10:13 JST Protected Moomin @josemanuel @japananon you can de facto use agpl software for any purpose because you have the source code -
Protected Moomin (moonman@shitposter.club)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 04:19:23 JST Protected Moomin @josemanuel @japananon sorry I jumped in late without reading the whole thread. -
Protected Moomin (moonman@shitposter.club)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 04:23:02 JST Protected Moomin @josemanuel @japananon even understanding that a non-developer can't take advantage of it, I don't believe that Tusky blocking use of gab is even a violation of the AGPL in spirit. All rights are potential, I have freedom of speech in the middle of Alaska, but there's nobody there to hear me. -
チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a (japananon@pawoo.net)'s status on Sunday, 23-Jun-2019 11:51:30 JST チャノロジー、30日@南フ42a @josemanuel
I wouldn't want any extra clauses written into any licences, as the law of unintened consequences would probably come around to fuck me in the ass, but arbitrary interference with usability like what Tusky's doing strikes me as in bad faith, at the very least.But anyway, whatever. Just fork around it and get on with our lives I suppose.
@wakarimasen
-