[rescue] BIOS update for Sun Fire v40z?

[gsm at mendelson.com]

On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 12:01:12PM -0700, Ellie Fant wrote:
>I am a new member here and the last thing I was intending was to cause
>any
>issues regarding illegal file downloads and copyright infringement. My
>understanding was that the BIOS files were public domain as Sun had previously
>had them as free downloads. 

That's a common misconception. Just because something was available for a
free download does not mean it was or is public domain. 

Most companies that had files for downloads had some sort of license you had
to read before downloading, or was included in the file. 

Even those licenses are subject to interpretation and local laws. I am not
a lawyer, but from what I understand that if you are in the US the Disney
Millennium Copyright Act makes it a criminal offense to download a file that 
was once available for download and has been withdrawn.

Somethings don't last very long, for example, Guy Kawasaki (one of my heros)
has released his book "The Macintosh Way" (I bought my copy when he was still
at Apple) for download in PDF form. 

The cost is that you agree to follow him on Twitter. 

 From what I have seen on mailing lists, it has already been pirated and
now you can download a copy without even that small courtesy.  


>They are after all a very specific BIOS for a particular Sun server that is 
> of no use to anybody that doesn't own one. I could
>understand your reaction had I come on here asking for a license key
>for Windows
>Server 2008 as that clearly would be illegal but I have already bought that so
>don't need to. I don't believe I have asked anybody to steal anything 
>and I never would.

Since Oracle has withdrawn them from free download, you unintentional did 
exactly that.

In plain English, Oracle's purchase of SUN has changed the rules of the game
an as far as this being the "SUN Rescue List", I think we are too late. :-(

Geoff.

-- 
Geoffrey S. Mendelson N3OWJ/4X1GM
To help restaurants, as part of the "stimulus package", everyone must order 
dessert. As part of the socialized health plan, you are forbidden to eat it. :-)