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Epson Pulls Linux Software Following GPL Violations

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the back-to-the-drawing-board dept.

ChrisWong writes "GPL violations has caused Epson to yank their free downloads of their ImageScan! and Photo Image Print System software for Linux. While one can use xsane instead of their ImageScan! software, the latter is easier to use and produces subjectively more attractive output."

3 of 292 comments (clear)

  1. More like a black eye for people who don't read. by gblues · · Score: 5, Informative

    The page actually states that the closure is temporary, while the GPL violations are remedied. There is absolutely nothing on that page to indicate that the software is being permanently discontinued.

    Nathan

  2. Epson is negotiating in good faith with FSF by bkuhn · · Score: 5, Informative
    Epson has been negotiating in good faith with us to bring their product into compliance with the terms of the GNU GPL and LPGL. We are moving as fast as we can to assist them in their efforts to comply, but with our limited resources we can only move so fast. We hope that the matter will be resolved soon.

    Epson has been much more friendly than most violators. Epson on their own chose to put up that web page and admit their violation publicly. We did not require them to do so. Almost always, compliance is reached through private discussions between the Free Software Foundation and the violating party. Only rarely (usually because a third party posts on slashdot ;) does the public even become aware of the compliance efforts underway.

    You can read FSF's General Counsel's essay for more details on FSF's GNU GPL enforcement efforts.

    Sincerely,
    Bradley M. Kuhn, Executive Director, Free Software Foundation

    1. Re:Epson is negotiating in good faith with FSF by rlk · · Score: 5, Informative

      I'm not at all surprised to hear that Epson is negotiating in good faith with the FSF, and has chosen to go above and beyond what the FSF asked for (publicly admitting their violation and working to resolve it). In my own experience (as project lead of Gimp-Print, I have found Epson to be far more clued-in about working with the free software community than other printer vendors that I have come across.

      In our case, it's evident that they understand that what we want is access to information about how their printers work, rather than information (such as details of their color management) that they quite legitimately consider proprietary. Because of that, it has been much easier for us to track their printers, and as a result their printers enjoy top notch support within our project. Perhaps more directly relevant to this, they have not used their project (PIPS) as an excuse to starve ours of data.
      So I'm certainly pleased (but not at all surprised) to see Epson acting with such high ethical standards under these circumstances, too.