Re: The GPL means what you want it to mean

[Rjack]

Rahul Dhesi wrote:
> Rjack <user@example.net> writes:
>
> > > (I'm assuming that Rjack's recent sources of authority, namely,
> > >  answers.com and merriam-webster.com, will not suffice here.)
>
> > I had hoped after trying to teach you that the meaning of the 
> > term "illegal" changed with a change contexts, that a little 
> > something would have soaked in. It obviously didn't.
>
> Well, consider this. We have a couple of hundred years (maybe 
> more?) of case law discussing when a contract should be 
> unenforceable due to illegality.
>
> But ignoring all that case law, you went instead to answers.com and
>  merriam-webster.com to prove your point.

***Rahul compared a breach of contract issue to a criminal offense:

"So now, according to Rjack, suddenly, the GPL contains illegal terms!
In other words, if you try to enforce a provision in the GPL, it's
like you are trying to kill somebody, and the courts won't let you"

***Amicus_curious replied:

"I think you are placing too much emphasis on the term "illegal". In
the GPL sense, since it is a civil issue, the term is equivalent to
"unenforcable" or "invalid" or any other word that boils down to
being unable to recover damages."

***Rahul replied:

"Rjack, he's posting this nonsense to defend you. This would be a
good oportunity for you to find some citations proving him wrong
-- but will you do so?"

***Rjack replied:

"The terms "illegal", "unenforceable" and "invalid" are
synonyms used in civil law. Amicus curious is simply emphasising the
fact that you made reference to a criminal offense ("kill somebody")
when the context is contractual or tortuous in kind."

> I was sardonically pointing out that you quote the authorities you 
> want to quote, not the authorities most relevant to the issue.

What were those "authorities" that were most relevant to the issue?

> Now for obvious reasons I don't expect our friend amicus_curious to
>  cite any case law.  But from you, Rjack, I had expected better.

Rahul there is a tried and true maxim that applies here:

***WHEN YOU'RE IN HOLE STOP DIGGING***

Sincerely,
Rjack :)