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

[Jeff Lightner]

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
To: ale at ale.org
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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