[ale] OT: License restrictions (reasons why?)

[Jeff Lightner]

That reminds me of working in a major Pharmaceutical's ERP shop.  Since
it was related to manufacturing it had to be use "FDA Validation".  This
"validation" is documentation to a level that makes SOX look like a walk
in the park.  One of the things they told me as I was being tested on
the documents (many of which I wrote!) was that the FDA could come back
to me up to 7 years later to justify actions taken/not taken for the
"validated" systems.   Due to this there was incredible resistance there
to installing any OSS even if it was just something like adding lsof to
a Solaris machine.

-----Original Message-----
From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of Jim
To: ale at ale.org
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 2:19 PM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
Subject: Re: [ale] OT: License restrictions (reasons why?)

There is also a strange (or maybe not) NRC regulation that requires 
anyone furnishing anything for a nuclear reactor site to obtain 
documentation from each of his vendors stating that they have the 
required insurance ($$$) to cover in case of a nuclear disaster AND in 
turn each of those vendors are required to do the same for everything 
they use, ad infinitum.  For instance, if a vendor sells an Diesel 
generator to a nuke plant, the generator manufacturer has to provide 
insurance and get the generator manufacturer to get insurance from each 
vendor that makes each part on the generator and they in turn have to do

the same for the sub assemblies and parts.  

Why do you think it costs billions to build a nuke?  FYI, I worked for 
the nuclear power generation division of a big company that built 
reactors in a past life.  It was a good living until TMI.

I suspect a big part of the reason for the license is  prevent someone 
from trying to get Sun to indemnify someone so they can use Java (or 
whatever software) to control a reactor.

Jim.

Jeff Lightner wrote:
> As seen in another post they DO talk about aircraft etc... elsewhere.

>
> Maybe they specifically mention nuclear in the EULA because of some
> arcane national security or NRC regulation that prevents ANY export of
> items designed for Nuclear power plants.   You'd be surprised at some
of
> the bizarre regulations that are out in the world.  When I went to
India
> in 98 right after they and Pakistan detonated nuclear devices it was
> quite amazing what the export restrictions were for software even for
> our Mobile Telephone billing solution.
>
> Or maybe they put it there because they hoped Dubya would read it and
> stumble over the word since it doesn't have the u between c and l as
he
> says it. :-)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of
Bob
> Toxen
> Sent: Monday, June 25, 2007 4:03 PM
> To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
> Subject: Re: [ale] OT: License restrictions (reasons why?)
>
> Sheesh.  That's easy.
>
> Sun is Politically Correct and Nuclear power is not.
>
> If they were worried about liability w.r.t. loss of human life, they
> would have more general language about that as APC UPS devices do,
> mention critical aircraft support systems (Air Traffic Control), etc.
>
> Btw, I see on some QT gas pumps "Not approved for aircraft use".  Yes,
> some aircraft can and do use automotive gasoline.
>
> Bob
>
> On Mon, Jun 25, 2007 at 01:58:44PM -0400, Jim Popovitch wrote:
>   
>> >From Sun's JRE license:
>>
>> 	3.  RESTRICTIONS.  Software is confidential and copyrighted.
>> 	Title to Software and all associated  intellectual  property
>> 	rights is  retained  by Sun  and/or  its  licensors.  Unless
>> 	enforcement  is prohibited  by  applicable  law, you may not
>> 	modify,   decompile,  or  reverse  engineer   Software.  You
>> 	acknowledge  that  Licensed  Software  is  not  designed  or
>> 	intended for use in the design,  construction,  operation or
>> 	maintenance of any nuclear facility.  Sun Microsystems, Inc.
>> 	disclaims  any  express or implied  warranty of fitness  for
>> 	such  uses.  No  right,  title  or  interest  in  or to  any
>> 	trademark,  service  mark,  logo or trade name of Sun or its
>> 	licensors  is  granted  under  this   Agreement.  Additional
>> 	restrictions for developers  and/or publishers  licenses are
>> 	set forth in the Supplemental License Terms.
>>
>>
>> Most of the above makes sense to me... however the part about
>>     
> "operation
>   
>> or maintenance of any nuclear facility" has always made me wonder
why.
>> I do realize the dangers of nuclear power plants and their dependence
>>     
> on
>   
>> systems that operate and manage them.   What I don't understand is
why
>> Sun doesn't restrict Java use from everything else that could have
>> near-catastrophic incidents.  Things like trains carrying nuclear
>>     
> bombs,
>   
>> FAA traffic control, mass-produced heart monitors, etc.  Also, why
>>     
> even
>   
>> put "nuclear facility" in there when those facilities most certainly
>> have used MS Windows somewhere in their design, construction,
>>     
> operation
>   
>> or maintenance.
>>
>> Anyone know the history about how that got into that license?
>>
>> -Jim P.
>>
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