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On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 18:48:00 +0100 james kilty <james@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > On Sat, 2007-09-29 at 11:12 +0100, Eion MacDonald wrote: > > > The install button and presence of partitioning programs within Ubuntu [and > > most big distributions] prohibits it being used in school systems where any > > CD must *not* install to or *be capable of installing to* the desktop system > > by regulation. > Is this a legal contract? It sounds like a monopolistic clause to me. Is it a > point where some leverage may be exerted? > -- > james kilty > http://www.kilty.demon.co.uk Sounds more like an over-officious (deliberate/ignorant) misreading of some arbitrary local guideline. There is no such regulation - there may be local policies but it is not illegal to have partitioning tools or installers on removable media. Use of any computer system without the authorisation of the owner of the equipment may be restricted but the details of what is authorised and what is not is decided *locally*. There is no country-wide legal prohibition of the use of removable media regarding the presence or absence of installers or partitioning tools. It simply wouldn't be workable. Any software can be deemed unauthorised, just as any software can be deemed authorised - the details of what is in which category is decided locally and therefore needs to be challenged locally by increasing understanding and awareness. It's not hard to see why administrators would not be keen on authorising installers and partitioning tools - Windows based partitioning tools still have a reputation for mangling data and if a PC is part of an organisation-wide IT network, the network admin (any network admin) isn't going to be keen on all and sundry installing new software - whether that is a new game or a new OS. To dress this up as a "regulation" or "legal obstacle" is just FUD. -- Neil Williams ============= http://www.data-freedom.org/ http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/
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