[Replicant] basic phone with 100% free software to use on Verizon?

[Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli]

On Mon, 14 Dec 2015 05:02:46 +0000
Josh Branning <lovell.joshyyy at gmail.com> wrote:

> The problem is, using the baseband software you provide could get me 
> arrested.
[because of copyright laws]
Indeed, especially if you want to contribute changes upstream.

> The former problem could be rectified by getting permission from the 
> carrier, or certifying the device's software.
Certifying that software would cost a lot of money. I'd indeed look if
laws of your country permits you to use a non-certified cell phone, as
long as you don't cause any damage to the network.
Laws usually regulate the selling of devices, not their use.

In some countries, it's even quite easy to get permission to operate GSM
towers as a "test" operator. You have to apply for that and pay a
relatively small fee per year (I think around 100 or 300E).
Small is of course relative, but I meant that it's accessible to some
of the hobbyists.

> The latter could be rectified by the creator of the modified works to 
> seek permission from the copyright owner (Texas Instruments) to allow 
> people to use the software, in chime with the freedoms set out by the
> FSF.
> 
> As it happens I don't think you have attempted either, which is why I
> am reluctant to use the firmware you have written. (I do own a C139.)
> 
> I dislike copyright as much as the next man, woman ... whatever, and
> wish it didn't exist in law. 
Ironically, that's how copyleft is implemented.
To get the extra permissions that copyright don't grant you by default,
like copying, modifying, and redistributing modified versions, you need
to abide the copyleft license that gives you theses permissions.

The policies, law, and case law, regarding copyright are complicated,
because they affect many different fields at the same time.

For instance if you get laws that gives too much power against people
sharing public works without the author consent, this also permits
easier GPL enforcement.

Also removing copyright law as-is would be bad for free software as
copyleft work anymore. Proprietary software could take copyleft free
software and integrate it in their software without ever giving back
the source.

Still I would find it really useful to be able to share artistic work
such as Music, Movies, and Literature, and even public speeches that
are copyrighted, but where the copyright owner didn't give any right to
the public.

For instance Martin Luther King's speech "I Have a Dream" is
copyrighted, and its copyright is enforced.

The restrictions on Music, Movies, Literature and public speeches is
restricting very deeply my freedom of expression. But at the same time
I strongly want to keep copyleft, at least for software that can be
redistributed in binary form, without any accompanying complete and
corresponding source code.

Denis.
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