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Re: LYNX-DEV dodging the gun
From: |
David Woolley |
Subject: |
Re: LYNX-DEV dodging the gun |
Date: |
Sat, 21 Mar 1998 12:13:01 +0000 (GMT) |
> offering its product in international markets. It has contracted with CnLab
> (Rapperswil, Switzerland) to create software "functionally equivalent"
> to Pretty Good Privacy, incorporating 128-bit encryption.
This is not a new tactic. It was used for the freeware version of PGP
and has been used long before that. However, it should be noted that
the resulting product is in breach of US civil law within the USA, and
I would argue that a GPLed version couldn't be produced without the consent
of all the copyright holders, as it would require a "not for distribution
in the USA (or France)" clause to be added to the licence.
Most of the interest in SSL Lynx is from the USA and the RSA patent still
makes it impossible to distribute a complete SSL Lynx there, without
breaching a significant clause in the GPL and undermining the credibility
of that licence.