> Your lawyers are peddling FUD because they make money that way.
No, the SFLC works pro-bono.
> You're free to read whatever you like.
I wish that were true, but many current laws say otherwise. You do not sound like you are aware of those laws, so I take it you're not a lawyer. You're just hoping the world is as free as you say it is. I wish it were too, but we have to be pragmatic and work in the world we have while we strive for the world we want.
Sigh... I feel like I'm not getting through to you here. Yes your layer works pro-bono but the rest of the time he works for money, and his entire conception of legal advice revolves around that. What's good for the goose is good for the gander: Your lawyer isn't paid to understand the law. He's paid to protect you from other lawyers. And other lawyers peddle FUD, so your lawyer has to protect you against FUD. Of course he's going to advise you to protect yourself! And if you've got an aggressive adversary, then you probably should.
But you don't need to protect yourself. You're legally allowed to read stuff and write something similar. Just don't copy it.
> I wish that were true, but many current laws say otherwise
I'm going to disregard this statement (and it's conspicuous lack of citations) because you're not a lawyer :)
> You're just hoping the world is as free as you say it is.
No, I'm just reading Wikipedia:
Clean room design is usually employed as best practice,
but not strictly required by law.
No, the SFLC works pro-bono.
> You're free to read whatever you like.
I wish that were true, but many current laws say otherwise. You do not sound like you are aware of those laws, so I take it you're not a lawyer. You're just hoping the world is as free as you say it is. I wish it were too, but we have to be pragmatic and work in the world we have while we strive for the world we want.