Malicious Compliance

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

submitted 1 year ago by ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org to c/maliciouscompliance@lemmy.world

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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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[–] ReginaPhalange@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Just out of curiosity...
How many pages were there?

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (6 children)

I don't know. I didn't do the printing. The law firm did it. But I remember our lawyer mentioning that they fedexed over 20 cartons of printing paper. Assuming 500 sheets per ream and 5 reams per carton, that would be 50,000 sheets, or 100,000 pages since it was printed on both sides to be even more annoying.

[–] Danatronic@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 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.

[–] InfiniteStruggle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago

Smart man

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