Court ruling supports free software writers
In spite of the crass commercialism that seems to pervade our society, there are large numbers of us who create software and then give it away. A recent court case is important in protecting the rights of those who create free software. The New York Times reports:
A legal dispute involving model railroad hobbyists has resulted in a major courtroom victory for the free software movement also known as open-source software.
In a ruling Wednesday, the federal appeals court in Washington said that just because a software programmer gave his work away did not mean it could not be protected.
The decision legitimizes the use of commercial contracts for the distribution of computer software and digital artistic works for the public good. The court ruling also bolsters the open-source movement by easing the concerns of large organizations about relying on free software from hobbyists and hackers who have freely contributed time and energy without pay.
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