alt Hacker News> Back then we considered legal action. We seriously did. But the practical reality: PrusaSlicer is software, not hardware. There's no boxed product crossing customs to stop - only real possibility which would make them comply. And jurisdiction for the licensee lands in China, which means the case lands in a Chinese court applying Chinese law to a Chinese company.
If there is no legal recourse, but you believe in the ideas and philosophy of copyleft, then all that is left is social enforcement. I.e. don’t buy their printers and tell your friends not to buy their printers.
But you seem to have a problem with that second part because it’s “performative”? Ok…
Or is it just that you’d rather the call to action was clearer? Because it’s pretty clear to me.
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I agree with the issue at stake but I’ve seen in practice where it can lead when people attach their morals to other people’s purchasing decisions. First, it’s “don’t buy their stuff”. Then “tell your friends not to buy their stuff”. Then it’s “shame random people who buy their stuff”. Then it’s “vandalize people’s stuff”.
I know no one’s going to go into other peoples houses to break their printers, but the whole social enforcement thing really soured me after what happened with my EVs the past year. Even when I agree with the principle I automatically hate any call to impose opinions on other people’s purchases. Most people will be responsible about it but it will inspire enough unhinged people to tarnish the cause.
I understand, appreciate and respect copyleft but I'm no zealot.
Fundamentally this rubs me the same wrong way as others attempting to enforce social contracts do. It feels wrong to assume that western ethics should be universal and apply to a foreign entity such as a business in China. Perhaps they simply view this as a viable approach? And, surprise, it is, at least for them. Do I wish that weren't the case? Sure, that'd be grand. But I don't see how this post gets us any closer to that fantasy.
Put yourself in their shoes. Someone released some software under a license designed around a foreign legal framework that doesn't apply to you. You can make products using that software that people want and make money. Is it your fault you are immune from the license? Is it your government's? Is it wrong to do so? I don't think it's clear enough.
And yeah the call to action should be clear. It's not. I don't see why they can't pursue legal action and go for damages or at the very least prevent the sale of their printers in local jurisdictions. Perhaps that would still be performative but it at least creates precedence that others can use to strengthen their own cases, or allow governments to push for action. But it appears like they're doing nothing.
If the US or the EU are going to do nothing about Chinese companies pedaling wares derived from US/EU IP made possible only by dodging licensing requirements then perhaps it's simply not a viable approach to rely on copyleft to protect you. Or you can try and change that.