SourceForge reverses ban on US foes
Open Source code repository SourceForge.net has pulled a U-turn on a widely unpopular decision to ban users from accessing its website from countries under US trade restrictions. In a blog post Sunday, SourceForge announced that it has instead handed over responsibility of navigating international trade laws to individual …
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Excellent.
That is indeed a solid compromise. Well done SourceForge!
Source Forge is Still Liable
It's very unlikely that there would be any reason for US feds to look at SF, but the law is quite clear that any and all US companies are not allowed to send anything to embargoed countries.
Shows willing...
Nice enough gesture, and appropriate mainly because such measures never keep out anyone determined anyway.
Unfortunate position to be in
Although this is a good compromise, SourceForge really are between a rock and a hard place. They must adhere to US laws as that is where they are based, and its users (in US or elsewhere) should have understood that -even if they believe the law is a bit bonkers. But, I guess the people in the OSS movement are quite vocal, but somewhat lacking, at times, in common sense (I give you Richard Stallman).
Well done to SF for finding a decent compromise.
Move em then ?
Moving " en masse " to servers located outside the US is an alternative.
Which basically is a good idea.I think sourceforge is and has done a terrific
job over the years but this may be an occasion the other software sites need to
take advantage of to position themselves favorably.This is an occasion for another
service to grow.
Yep...
An open-source site hosted in a nation not at all dissimilar to Mussolini's Italy has a sulfurous smell.
woukdnt work
that would still be illegal, you cant move your business outside the us to circumvent us export laws. as long as they are based in the US, and a lot of the projects are as well, they have to follow the US law, no matter where the server is hosted.
us damn merkins
I agree might be smart to move the servers away from me homeland. As much as I love the States, the fact big business writes the laws, as well as the right wing nuts Patriot act and finally software patents its ironic that one main birthplaces of the open source movement is also one of the least friendly to it (with the whole rather be dead than red attitude and all). On the other side though it should be pointed out, honestly how much do these banned countries actually contribute?. Considering the literacy rate and computer adoption rate in these countries my guess is it is quite low. Still open source should not be beholden to any government.
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