MPAA Caught in the Act... Again.

[Metropolisforever]

Recently, English software developer Patrick Robin reported that the MPAA was illegally using his blogging platform, Forest Blog. Forest Blog is distributed for free under a linkware license; anyone who uses it must link back to his site where Forest Blog is offered for download. To remove the links back to his site, they must purchase a license. The MPAA had removed the links, without paying for a license.

As if those MPAA idiots needed to lose MORE credibility.

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[RapscallionJones]

I often wonder if these guys are at the mercy of their own ignorance when they do stuff like this.  In all likelyhood, they didn't willingly break the software contract.  Being a web developer, I know how this goes:  Developer submitted the blog to the client at the MPAA who looked at it and said, "Fantastic!  Just lose that link that goes to that guy's site and we'll be all set!" and the developer does it.  They don't realize that the link is part of the agreement.

It's like the other article with the RIAA going after Usenet.com.  They probably think that by bringing that site down, they're crushing newsgroups that spread software, music and movies.  They don't realize that it's a whole network of servers, public, private and otherwise.