today's leftovers
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Linux Made Simple ☛ 2024-04-14 [Older] Linux Weekly Roundup #279
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Fedora Family / IBM
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The Register UK ☛ IBM accused of wage theft by denying overtime pay • The Register
IBM has been accused of cheating its executive assistants by denying them overtime pay and meal breaks and retaliating against them for accurately reporting their working hours.
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FSFE
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FSFE ☛ 2024-04-17 [Older] Are Free Software developers at risk?
Bitcoin (BTC) is a cryptocurrency created in 2009 that operates under the MIT Free Software licence. After its creator disappeared, a group of software developers continued to develop Bitcoin independently. Currently, Dr. Craig Wright, who claimed to be the creator of Bitcoin, is suing the Bitcoin developers in the UK courts through his company, Tulip Trading Limited (Tulip). This company claims to have lost £3 billion worth of bitcoin due to a hack that compromised the private keys, resulting in the loss of access to the funds. In this lawsuit Tulip is demanding that the Bitcoin developers provide access to the lost Bitcoin, arguing that the developers have a legal obligation to provide access or offer equitable compensation or damages.
As such, this legal case is currently drawing attention to the issue of Free Software developers' liability, in particular the extent to which they are responsible to their users. UK High Court’s opinion: Developers have no legal duties or a duty of care in this case, but they do have certain duties in some specific situations.
The High Court considered whether software developers and controllers of digital asset networks bear legal obligations to cryptocurrency holders who rely on their software. The court ruled in favour of the developers, stating that as a "fluctuating body of individuals", the developers could not realistically maintain ongoing obligations. The court rejected the notion that developers should be compelled to provide software updates upon the request of digital asset owners, emphasising the absence of any explicit commitment or assurance by the developers. Regarding the alleged tortious duties, the Court determined that the developers did not owe Tulip a duty of care, highlighting that Tulip's loss was solely economic.
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