Wanna launch a rocket? Can't use Fedora, then.

[SteveRiley]

Why would they care?

http://fedoraproject.org/en/get-fedora

[woodsmoke]

There was some discussiion here a year or so ago about using Ubuntu to control a .......... "gun" of some kind and there was some heated discussion about said use.

woodsmoke

[Teunis]

Years ago there was a US ban on the export of encryption tech.
I was visiting and bought a nice boxed copy of RH6.1 and Sams Teach yourself Linux programming.
Both had a sticker banning sale to foreigners and export, neither the shop nor the border agent looked at it

I'm sure things haven't changed and no-one will go to an Iranian courthouse to claim illegal use.

[Feathers McGraw]

Is that even legal? I don't think you can impose extra terms on GPL licensed software (which not all of it, but certainly some of it is).

Also related: proprietary license agreement applied to android SDK:

http://code.paulk.fr/article0008/wha...he-android-sdk

[GreyGeek]

Why would they care?

Indeed. It's open source and GPL. How in the world could they do anything about it even if they did care? It can be downloaded from anywhere, including source, and modified to do anything.

IMO, it's just boiler plate to keep the US government off their backs.

[kubicle]

Is that even legal? I don't think you can impose extra terms on GPL licensed software (which not all of it, but certainly some of it is).

License agreements are contracts, and legislation takes precedence over contract clauses (for example, you could be convicted of murder even if you've made a contract with someone that you can kill people without consequences)

Indeed. It's open source and GPL. How in the world could they do anything about it even if they did care? It can be downloaded from anywhere, including source, and modified to do anything.

IMO, it's just boiler plate to keep the US government off their backs.

Yup, they don't care...but being an US based company, Red Hat wants to wash their hands of breaking US export restrictions. Of course the restrictions are stupid, ineffective and totally unenforceable outside the States.

[dibl]

The International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR). The US State Department has the ability to pretty much shut down a business for exporting product in violation of the ITAR. Encryption technology features prominently on the list of prohibited items.