Re: Switching to the OSL License, in a dual way.

From: Matthias Andree (matthias.andree@gmx.de)
Date: Fri Jul 25 2003 - 21:52:46 EST


On Fri, 25 Jul 2003, Larry McVoy wrote:

> > This is exactly the same. As long as there is a data format or a
> > protocol involved, European laws allow users to reverse engineer it,
> > to be able to create another program using the same format and
> > protocols.
>
> Really? Show me that law please.

IANAL, but check the "German Gesetz über Urheberrecht und verwandte
Schutzrechte" (Urheberrechtsgesetz/UrhG for short), §§ 69c, 69d, 69e.
http://bundesrecht.juris.de/bundesrecht/urhg/index.html

It concerns itself with "interoperability" of independently developed
programs with an existing one that you may use, (not with clones though,
the law formulates this differently); decompilation is allowed, unless
information needed to obtain interoperability is available, and there
are other restrictions. License or contract clauses that attempt to run
counter to §69d 2,3 (backup copies to ensure future use) or §69e
(decompilation) are void.

Anyone interested should check out the exact words of the law though,
and in particular he should not rely on my translation.

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