> >Your message suggests another question: are Gerald's modifications to the > >open-source OS? Or are they modifications to Cobalt's own proprietary code? > >If the former, then he's okay, but if the latter, he's not. You probably > >knew that. > > Well I didn't know that, and I don't know the answer. Gerald .... ?? Free advice is nice, but I've found that when dealing with issues like this it's advisable to work with an attorney who specialized in Internet law. Many attorneys think they understand the Internet, but it's really outside their area of competence. I'm not saying Jale's attorney is incompetent. I'm not even saying he's wrong (though he may be). I'm just saying that it's clear this isn't his area of expertise.
If you successfully defended Phil Zimmerman, the developer of PGP, against the DOD, and won, I'd say you probably know more about computer-law than most people out there doing this type of law. My friend did this, and is an expert in many areas of software law. Internet is just the method of delivery. There is no difference between that and them mailing you the same material on a free CD.
And I do believe he has a tremendous amount of Internet legal experience. I consult for MANY attorneys, I could ask any # of them for free advice, I chose him because of who he is, not because he is a lawyer I know. Heck, my own brother is a Judge and President of the Bar Association in his city, and on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Bar Association, but I wouldn't ask him for advice unless I got arrested for being bad. I know who to ask and who not to.
I trust his opinions tremendously, you can all do what you want with them, I am just the messenger.
Jale