Re: are we being honest about legal resources?

On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:28:50 -0700
Bruce Perens <bruce(at)perens(dot)com> wrote:

> Anthony Towns wrote:
> > I don't think there's ever been a request from the Debian liaison
> > for SPI to do that, has there? If there has, it should be the
> > liaison (ie, the DPL) chasing it up with the board, not individual
> > Debian developers or SPI members. If there hasn't, individual
> > members should be chasing it up with the DPL, who's responsible for
> > working out if it's important enough for Debian to spend SPI's
> > resources on.
> Anthony,
>
> I would find it a lot easier to believe that SPI and Debian's legal
> resources were precious if there was the slightest sign that any use
> was being made of them.

All resources are precious. It is just a matter of Degree. SPI has
legal resources and we will make use of them as we need to. Of interest
here is that I actually don't agree with Anthony. If a contributing
member to SPI would like a legal question answered I think SPI has a
duty to get that question answered.

However, I do not think we should do this lightly as resource are
precious. In this case, as the question is for the Debian project
explicitly, I believe it should be the DPL that makes the request.

I would ask that you, if you feel that strongly about it, take up your
cause with Debian. Should Debian chose to engage SPI's legal services
for such a mission, then we shall follow through diligently.

Sincerely,

Joshua D. Drake
SPI Director

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