Malicious Compliance

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Here's all the source code (lemmy.sdf.org)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/maliciouscompliance

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In 2000, I wrote a Linux device driver that "decrypted" the output of a certain device, and my company, which hosted open-source projects, agreed to host it.

The "encryption" was only a XOR, but that was enough for the maker of said device to sue my company under 17 U.S.C. § 1201 for hundreds of millions in damages.

The story got a lot of press back then because it highlighted how stupid the then-new DMCA was, and also because there was a David open-source enthusiasts vs. Goliath heartless corporation flavor to it.

Our lawyer decided to pick up the fight to generate free publicity for our fledgling company. For discovery, the maker of the device requested "a copy of any and all potentially infringing source code". They weren't specific and they didn't specify the medium.

So we printed the entire Linux kernel source code including my driver in 5-pt font and sent them the boxes of printouts. Legally they had been served, so there was nothing they could do about it.

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[–] Danatronic 26 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Damn. Did they ever find your actual source code in there

[–] [email protected] 79 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

No idea. That company folded before it could even respond. It was a typical dot-com with a completely ridiculous business model. That's why our lawyer decided to fight the suit: he figured they'd collapse soon anyway, so we might as well milk the lawsuit for the publicity.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

How much did it cost to print?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Approximately one forest

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Since Lemmy isn’t pay to win, you get this: 🎖️

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

This just made me briefly wish lemmy had awards

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Smart man