RPMFind.net

[Thing]

This morning I was looking for a rpm at http://www.rpmfind.net and my search results were:

This page is temporarily closed in protest against software patents. Websites may soon be closed down regularly due to software patents. Software patents can get you prosecuted for publishing texts you wrote yourself!

WTF?

[Skywing]

This morning I was looking for a rpm at http://www.rpmfind.net and my search results were:

This page is temporarily closed in protest against software patents. Websites may soon be closed down regularly due to software patents. Software patents can get you prosecuted for publishing texts you wrote yourself!

WTF?

Yes, apparently their idea of gaining support against software patents is to annoy their own users.

[Adron]

This morning I was looking for a rpm at http://www.rpmfind.net and my search results were:

This page is temporarily closed in protest against software patents. Websites may soon be closed down regularly due to software patents. Software patents can get you prosecuted for publishing texts you wrote yourself!

WTF?

Yes, apparently their idea of gaining support against software patents is to annoy their own users.

Sounds likely that someone has approached them about that patent for frames or something like that. Apparently if you have frames on your page you need to pay $++++ to someone.

[Grok]

Sounds likely that someone has approached them about that patent for frames or something like that. Apparently if you have frames on your page you need to pay $++++ to someone.

WHAT?!  Please provide more info.

[Skywing]

This morning I was looking for a rpm at http://www.rpmfind.net and my search results were:

This page is temporarily closed in protest against software patents. Websites may soon be closed down regularly due to software patents. Software patents can get you prosecuted for publishing texts you wrote yourself!

WTF?

Yes, apparently their idea of gaining support against software patents is to annoy their own users.

Sounds likely that someone has approached them about that patent for frames or something like that. Apparently if you have frames on your page you need to pay $++++ to someone.

Possible, but unlikely here.  A few days ago on slashdot, there was an article about sites taking replacing their main page with a protest about patents during today.

Still, I don't think preventing users from using your site, particularly with something as potentially important as a patch archive is a very good idea for making people want to support your idea.

[Adron]

Sounds likely that someone has approached them about that patent for frames or something like that. Apparently if you have frames on your page you need to pay $++++ to someone.

WHAT?!  Please provide more info.

Google frames patent immediately produced http://news.com.com/2100-1023-981446.html

I suppose it could be any other random patent too... There seem to be an endless amount of patents that companies apply to web stuff. Like the GIF patent.

[Adron]

Possible, but unlikely here.  A few days ago on slashdot, there was an article about sites taking replacing their main page with a protest about patents during today.

Still, I don't think preventing users from using your site, particularly with something as potentially important as a patch archive is a very good idea for making people want to support your idea.

What software were you trying to get a patch for? And in rpm format? Are you using rpm on Windows or are you actually using a unix clone on some computer?

[Thing]

I was looking for an rpm for phpMyAdmin.  I just wanted a quick and easy install so I could look at it.  I found one at rmpseek.com instead.  This is for a RedHat box.

They (rpmfind.net) have not endeared me to their cause by denying me access to their files.

[Adron]

I was looking for an rpm for phpMyAdmin.  I just wanted a quick and easy install so I could look at it.  I found one at rmpseek.com instead.  This is for a RedHat box.

They (rpmfind.net) have not endeared me to their cause by denying me access to their files.

Oooh sorry. I do know that you use unixes. I just misread and thought that Skywing has posted the original question. Since the original post didn't mention looking for a patch.

[Yoni]

Patent abuse is such a terrible idea... GIF has been patented (though I believe this patent expired a few months ago, in June or so?) and everyone now uses the patentless PNG instead. MP3 has patent issues, and those who care enough about them use Ogg. Frames are patented too? What next, the double click?

[iago]

I'd better go patent ":-)" and ":)"!

[j0k3r]

I'm gunna patent "^^" then go on CS and sue everyone that plays it...

[Skywing]

Patent abuse is such a terrible idea... GIF has been patented (though I believe this patent expired a few months ago, in June or so?) and everyone now uses the patentless PNG instead. MP3 has patent issues, and those who care enough about them use Ogg. Frames are patented too? What next, the double click?

Certainly true, but trying to fight patents by pissing off your own loyal users at you is absolutely stupid.

[Thing]

IMO their protest is frivolous.  A more worthwhile pursuit would be bringing the SCO vs. IBM battle to peoples attention.  Hehe I just tried to load SCO's and Caldera's pages and they are both unavailable.

This page has a few articles on this subject:
http://zdnet.com.com/2251-1110-1001807.html

Eric Raymond and Rob Landley published this informative document:
http://www.opensource.org/sco-vs-ibm.html

For those of you who don't want to take the time to read, I'll sum it all up for you.

The lawyers are getting rich.
SCO wants money.
The lawyers are getting rich.
The users / developers will wind up paying for all of this.
The lawyers are getting rich.

[Adron]

Hopefully all of SCO's investors will end up paying for it.