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Comment by zaroth | Hacker News Reader

Crazy what happens when you decide to freeload off a stranger’s code who you have no contract or agreement with whatsoever, beyond a license you must accept to use the software which disclaims any warranty whatsoever, even fitness for any purpose.

I have zero sympathy for anyone complaining they were hurt by this. I think Marak is teaching an important and principled lesson here.

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Lesson learned:

- Don't rely on open source software. It's all FUD. Always use software from companys you can sue by a contract.

- If you need an an open source library to color your console output, pay them 6 figures per year.

SCNR

> I think Marak is teaching an important and principled lesson here.

What lesson is that?

Never rely on the Javascript community/ecosystem.

freeload is a fairly loaded term. "disclaims any warranty" isn't the same as malicious action; I don't have to pay you if your house burns down if you don't have an insurance policy (contract) with me but I'm still liable if I commit arson.

Also, AFAIK, Marak is not the original author; Is he also a freeloader for attempting to commercialise this code?

> teaching an important and principled lesson here

The history of this issue speaks differently to their intentions, but even so, there is a way to "teach lessons" and that's by doing something alarming but harmless. AFAIK Marak wanted to cause harm, and acted in a way to do so.

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