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No straw, pure meat
The issue is that indemnity provides no protection while limiting the usability of the software in question.

You "simply ask": then why doesn't IBM provide indemnity?

The most straightforward answer is: What will they indemnify? If we assume that we're talking about the Linux kernel or Linux distros then I ask "what IBM distro/kernel?" Since you like to point to cars and such then you would agree that it would be absurd to expect GM to indemnify a Ford car. (Interestingly, however, Ford HAS been held legally responsible for third party tires included on their vehicles...)

The terms offerred by companies that have offerred "indemnity" are restrictive, onerous, and provide no real protection. Why? Because standard copyright laws provide the exact same amount of protection under the terms that HP is offerring. (You can't violate copyright if you're the end-user, only the distributor violates copyright.)

Further, and more important, indemnity from what? Is there some copyright or patent infringement lawsuit that is being filed against Linux or any of the distributors of Linux that hasn't made it into the news? If not then please explain under what legal theory do you need to be indemnified from a contract dispute between SCO and IBM?

You are most definitely grinding an ax. All of your questions have been from only one viewpoint, poorly phrased, and often leading. Now if you were to follow up your post of why not indemnify with a question of why idemnify then you might be able to claim some semblence of impartiality.
Posted by: Robert Crocker   Posted on: 10/27/03 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Alternative open source with protection  richardgreavus | 10/27/03
Ms. Giera is mistaken.  Tim Patterson | 10/27/03
Well Said  issthatso | 10/27/03
So why not do it then?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/27/03
Maybe...  zip_z | 10/27/03
Because indemnity destroys the spirit of OSS  Robert Crocker | 10/27/03
Two points.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/27/03
Is this leading somewhere?  IT_User | 10/27/03
about voiding warranties  voska | 10/27/03
re: So why not do it then? Because Don....  bgoss@... | 10/27/03
She also speaks of "Open Source", when cearly she means "Linux Kernel"  dw@... | 10/27/03
Didn't IBM Assume the Risks?  jasonvp | 10/27/03
Wrong assumptions  Kyfho | 10/27/03
Maybe web developers can be indemnified for Eolas's successful case?  dw@... | 10/27/03
Ms Giera is Misleading the Public  ssharkey | 10/27/03
These new talkbacks suck (and blow)  Patrick Jones | 10/27/03
You'd be surprised how much a veteran will wilfully hold back an industry..  dw@... | 10/27/03
Websphere? All open source projects not just Linux?  EricMarts@... | 10/27/03
IDE for WAS is open source  ejhonda | 10/28/03
How do You Spell Wrong!  chohman | 10/27/03
Julie Giera, do you have a clue what you're talking about?  zd-spam | 10/27/03
Hogwash  Robert Crocker | 10/27/03
Nothing to lose? Then just do it.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/27/03
Nothing for IBM to lose, everything for OSS  Robert Crocker | 10/27/03
Straw man arguments?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/27/03
Message has been deleted.  dicktaurus@... | 10/27/03
No straw, pure meat  Robert Crocker | 10/27/03
Robert, your not listening.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/27/03
You may need a new "Bit" to sharpen your ax.  Robert Crocker | 10/28/03
I know, and you know, but does...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/28/03
he he he  none none | 10/27/03
You picked him too? Good 'ol BB, aka TRB. (NT)  Fred Fredrickson | 10/28/03
Ms. Giera is merely a FUD-tool for Paul Allen.  dicktaurus@... | 10/27/03
What's with all the HTML tags?  voska | 10/27/03
They switched to an Open Souce application  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/27/03
ZDNet: autofill this field!  none none | 10/27/03
Software Risks?  Jose Jimenez | 10/27/03
And who else does?  rkhalloran | 10/28/03
Practitioners vs Propagandists  Robert Hahn | 10/28/03
For those not in the know: Barratry  Fred Fredrickson | 10/28/03
27 Year Veteran of the IT Industry??  BanjoPaterson | 10/28/03
Total cost would be greater than sum of the parts  Richard Flude | 10/28/03
Will we see a similar SCO article?  Robert Crocker | 10/28/03

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