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Startup set to brick $800 kids robot is trying to open source it first (arstechnica.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 1 point 2 years ago* (2 children)

Seems like a good move but it will also raise the risk of releasing new tech. Startup money will have to include some kind of coverage for that, making it harder to get startup money. Rather than simply impose a liability I would feel better about requiring orphaned IP to be opensourced so interested parties can do exactly what's happening in this case.

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Nah, if a company goes bankrupt, their entire software base should just be posted online.

    Or sold like their many assets.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    I agree if they simply go away, what they produced should become opensource. Sometimes this involves removing dependencies on proprietary software, which anybody who used the opensourced portion would in turn have to pay to license. So they have to rewrite those parts or make special arrangements. Anyway it's not the slam-dunk you might think. Like after what happens in an action cop movie everybody walks away, but in reality they would spend months or years in court over damages to buildings, passersby getting hurt, etc. Nothing is ever as simple as outsiders think.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    but it will also raise the risk of releasing new tech.

    It has FOSS exemption.

    Rather than simply impose a liability I would feel better about requiring orphaned IP to be opensourced so interested parties can do exactly what's happening in this case.

    In a way it does that.

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