Re:The Cameras Worked Fine. Their Maker Said They Had Reache...
by kragen on Sunday February 19, 2023 @01:02PM
(#34860075)
while this would be an effective defense, it isn't an effective legal policy
at the point that the support is ended, the company isn't making any more money on the product, so legal remedies like forbidding its importation or halting its manufacturing would be ineffective; even remedies like fines and injunctions to specific performance might be ineffective if the company no longer exists or no longer exports to your country, or if they've laid off the people who knew how to compile the firmware
so to have an enforceable law you need to require the release (or at least deposit) of the complete corresponding source code up front, not at some future time
at the point that the support is ended, the company isn't making any more money on the product, so legal remedies like forbidding its importation or halting its manufacturing would be ineffective; even remedies like fines and injunctions to specific performance might be ineffective if the company no longer exists or no longer exports to your country, or if they've laid off the people who knew how to compile the firmware
so to have an enforceable law you need to require the release (or at least deposit) of the complete corresponding source code up front, not at some future time