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MPAA Forced To Take Down University Toolkit

Posted by Sander_Marechal on · 13 comments
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Ubuntu developer Matthew Garrett has succeeded in getting the MPAA to remove their 'University Toolkit' after claims it violated the GNU GPL. After several unsuccessful attempts to contact the MPAA directly, Garrett eventually emailed the group's ISP and the violating software was taken down.

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Comments (13)

hoisted by their own petard

gus3 ·
The creator (and copyright holder) sent the DMCA takedown letter to the ISP hosting the MPAA's so-called "University Toolkit". It seems they neglected to host, or even link, the source code, in violation of Paragraph 4 of the GPLv2. Thus, their right to distribute the particular package(s) in question is immediately terminated.

I love the smell of boomerangs first thing in the morning! ;-)
ColonelPanik ·
You just don't see many petards anymore.

Seems like people feel that if they don't understand the law they don't have to obey it!
rijelkentaurus ·
Quoting: You just don't see many petards anymore.


Well, there's Jean-Luc from the Enterprise....

**ducks and runs**
gus3 ·
Quoting:Seems like people feel that if they don't understand the law they don't have to obey it!
The MPAA should understand the DMCA. They helped write it!
Bob_Robertson ·
It's a simple case of double standard.

The MPAA, being big and powerful, thinks that other people's rules don't apply to it.

I fully expect that it's as simple as no one at the MPAA _thought_ of it. However, their own arrogance will not allow them to admit they were wrong and make the source available.

If I were them, I wouldn't "admit I was wrong" either, because it would set a precedence for those who they prosecute for license violations without ever notifying them that they were doing something wrong first.

ColonelPanik ·
rijelkentaurus, /slap
Scott_Ruecker ·
Quoting:You just don't see many petards anymore.

Well, there's Jean-Luc from the Enterprise....

**ducks and runs**


Groan, GROAN!!

LOL
rijelkentaurus ·
Quoting: rijelkentaurus, /slap


CorporalPunishment, long time no see! :-)
Bob_Robertson ·
Corporal Punishment, meet Major Disconnect.
ColonelPanik ·
Oh yeah, we served together several times. Nice guy. Isn't he on the JCS now?
rijelkentaurus ·
You should really pity me, my boss comes across with crap like that all the time. If it weren't for goofy and sarcastic remarks, we'd never have a conversation.
jezuch ·
Quoting:Oh yeah, we served together several times. Nice guy.


http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20011012 ;)

Overview Says It Can Be Downloaded Still

moopst ·
The overview in

http://universitytoolkit.org/MPAA_University_Toolkit_Overvie...

mentions "SNORT" and "Ntop" and says "Is offered for free to all universities on CD and as a download at UniversityToolkit.com" which is apparently the same as universitytoolkit.org

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