Full Disclosure mailing list archives
RE: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws?
From: Nick FitzGerald <nick () virus-l demon co uk>
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 12:31:22 +1200
levinson_k () despammed com wrote: <<snip good stuff>>
Would this kind of legal liability for software manufacturers have a chilling effect towards small mom and pop software shops? Would it halt smaller companies like Foundstone and Eeye.com from writing and releasing freeware utilities? Would OpenBSD, Linux distros, etc. also be sued? Would end users like you or me start being sued for becoming infected? Can you know for sure what would happen if this came to pass? Targeting Microsoft may sound attractive to some, but this kind of legislation could make every software author a target, while not necessarily doing anything to get rid of security issues like worms.
So, at least allow the liability up to the (reatail) cost of "licensing" ("purchasing", etc) of the faulty software. That way commercial developers will have a greater incentive to "do the right thing" by their customers than they clearly do now. Or they will shut up shop or go freeware (where other incentives should favour the open-source over closed source "solutions" -- with open source at least you can have a hope of getting old/abandoned/etc code fixed). Regards, Nick FitzGerald _______________________________________________ Full-Disclosure - We believe in it. Charter: http://lists.netsys.com/full-disclosure-charter.html
Current thread:
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws?, (continued)
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Fabio Gomes de Souza (Aug 27)
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Valdis . Kletnieks (Aug 27)
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Ron DuFresne (Aug 28)
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Darren Reed (Aug 28)
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Alexandre Dulaunoy (Aug 29)
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Jeremiah Cornelius (Aug 29)
- Message not available
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Jeremiah Cornelius (Aug 29)
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Darren Reed (Aug 30)
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Valdis . Kletnieks (Aug 27)
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Fabio Gomes de Souza (Aug 27)
- Re: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Goncalo Costa (Aug 27)
- RE: GOOD: A legal fix for software flaws? Nick FitzGerald (Aug 27)