Do we need to ask lord asshat if we can use his copyrighted software?

[El Cabron]

    *** COMPLAINT ***
    SolidCoin ( solidcoin.info resolving to 72.14.191.185 ) is infringing on my copyright of code originally contributed to Bitcoin ( http://bitcoin.org ) under the MIT license. The specific substantial code I hold the copyright to appears in at least wallet.cpp in both Bitcoin and SolidCoin, in the method CWallet::SelectCoinsMinConf. I licensed this code under the MIT license, and SolidCoin has stripped my copyright and terms from all the code, in violation
    of this license.

    This infringing code is available from at least the following URIs:
    - http://solidcoin.inf…-201-source.zip
    - http://solidcoin.inf…lidcoin-202.exe
    - http://solidcoin.inf…linux64.tar.bz2
    - http://solidcoin.inf…linux32.tar.bz2

    I have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted materials described above on the infringing web pages is not authorized by the copyright owner, or its agent, or the law. I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner, or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner, of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

    Luke Dashjr
    luke+github@dashjr.org
    +1-206-203-5256



Fuck I hate solid coin (shit coin) but I think I might just support him in court...    This little boy goes and calls 911 when he thinks his money/time will be lost and then claims he is doing the work of Jesus. Ignorance is bliss I guess. LOL

[rjk]

Where is this complaint posted? Some legal filing?

[DeathAndTaxes]

He never said that and no you don't need to ask permission.

You are however REQUIRED under the MIT license to include the license and ALL copyrights in any derivitive works.  That isn't optional.

So your choices are:
a) use the software and comply with the license (and MIT is about the easiest license to comply with)
or
b) don't use the software and build your project from scratch.


Free software means you don't have to ask permission.  The license already grants you the RIGHT to copy, modify, and distribute the software.  However it doesn't mean you can simply steal something and pretend you made it.

It will never go to court but how exactly would you "support him".  It isn't a popularity contest and the MIT license is all of 15 or so lines.  Kinda cut and dry. King RealScam engaged in software piracy.  The utter lunacy is he engaged in willful software piracy of something which was free.

[casascius]

It will never go to court unless each of you want to spend five figures (BTC -- six figures USD) on lawyers.

[ThomasV]

I have decided to ignore the "Alternative Cryptocurrencies" subforum in my preferences.
it would be nice to move this thread there.

[DeepBit]

No, you don't need to ask anyone to use his copyrighted software if it's under MIT license.

But YES, you have to ask if you want to remove credentials/copyright information from the code and tell everyone that you created it from scratch.

[rjk]

I think Jr. is doing more harm to bitcoin than good. I really do not understand Jr's fear, need for violence or his desire to save people from the scam coins.

This. I and others think that he may be purposely out to harm Bitcoin and its reputation, first indirectly by attacking alt chains. If he truly believed in Bitcoin, he would realize that his actions bring discredit on the entire project, not just on clones that he hates.

[DeathAndTaxes]

Honestly I am involved with bitcoin because I like that it is P2P and not controlled by the Government. If there is a better currency I will not attack it but will jump ship. ShitCoin was never a real threat to Bitcoin. I think that we should just let the free market sort it out but clearly Jr thinks the U.S. Government should be involved.

You can't have a free market in the absence of laws.  Read some Adam Smith.

For example if I "invest" in a wrench and then come to your house and beat you with it till you give me the encryption key to your wallet does that make me a good capitalist?  Would you say "No I shouldn't call the cops the free market has decided"?

Laws are the "rules of the game" on which free markets play.

[Matthew N. Wright]

I have decided to ignore the "Alternative Cryptocurrencies" subforum in my preferences.
it would be nice to move this thread there.

It's funny isn't it? 2 months ago I blocked it and things have been better ever since.

Move this stupid shit to that sub-forum please. Thanks.

[k9quaint]

Fuck I hate solid coin (shit coin) but I think I might just support him in court...    This little boy goes and calls 911 when he thinks his money/time will be lost and then claims he is doing the work of Jesus. Ignorance is bliss I guess. LOL

You should probably learn a little bit about copyright law before you spout off about it.

By asserting ownership of code in bitcoin, Coinhunter now has the ability to sue anyone who uses that code in their projects. Unless that ownership claim is contested he can claim copyright infringement by every person using the Bitcoin client. Coinhunter could have pointed to his license.txt and claimed that Bitcoin infringed on it and issued a DMCA takedown of the bitcoin github site. He can send the same notices to ISPs who host the major bitcoin pools and claim they are running infringing code.

Ultimately, Coinhunter would lose in court (since he does not in fact own the copyrights) and the bitcoin pools would be put back on the internet and the bitcoin github site would be restored. However, while it was decided in the courts, large sections of bitcoin could be offline. It could take weeks or even months to decide the issue, which is why nobody wants to take that risk. The current state of copyright law is such that "infringers" are guilty until proven innocent.

This is why you should invade Washington D.C. and Brussels.

[kjj]

What the hell are you guys smoking?

[k9quaint]

Americas or Europe's copyright laws do not apply where I live.

It would be funny to see asshat go to court and have 90% of the bitcoin world go offline while this is sorted.

Would this not be an effective attack on bitcoin. Someone just say they own the code and have SOPA take down everything? Sure it will come back but just think of the damage. I would guess we should all be working on trying to get as much of this p2p as we can.

Those laws may not apply, but all I have to do is claim you defamed the Thai monarchy. Then you and your website go *poof*.
(I might have to bribe one or two judges) 

[k9quaint]

Americas or Europe's copyright laws do not apply where I live.

It would be funny to see asshat go to court and have 90% of the bitcoin world go offline while this is sorted.

Would this not be an effective attack on bitcoin. Someone just say they own the code and have SOPA take down everything? Sure it will come back but just think of the damage. I would guess we should all be working on trying to get as much of this p2p as we can.

Those laws may not apply, but all I have to do is claim you defamed the Thai monarchy. Then you and your website go *poof*.
(I might have to bribe one or two judges) 

Thailand does not really work in the same way as the west. There would first be an investigation (yeah crazy!) and if the claim is false you would end up in jail. One of the advantages of being in a kingdom.

You didn't read the part where I paid the bribe.
Hope you are poor so the magistrate doesn't come back wanting more cash to squirrel you away.