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Linksys and the GPL, Again

Posted by michael on from the unclear-on-the-concept dept.

Rob Flickenger writes "While poking around on the Linksys WRT54G (one of the new Linux 2.4.5 based APs) at a SeattleWireless Hack Night session, we noticed a number of binaries in their firmware (including Zebra, PPP 2.4.1, and iptables to name three) that are released under the GPL, some of which are obviously modified. The question is, where is the source code to Linksys' modifications? Their "GPL Code Center" has the packages, but they are the pristine distributions, without any changes whatsoever. I've asked Linksys for clarification, but given Linksys' customer service reputation, I highly encourage other interested parties to ask them as well. More details are up on my weblog on oreillynet.com."

3 of 443 comments (clear)

  1. DMCA... by perly-king-69 · · Score: 3, Offtopic

    Are you sure you're not infringing your countries' laws by fiddling around with the internals of the router

    Or is that still legal?

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    This sig is inoffensive.

  2. Re:Troubling. by oPless · · Score: 2, Offtopic

    I don't understand these companies.

    Why use something GPL'd when you can use *BSD that has little or no encumbarance like this?

    Or am I missing something here?

    (Note: I'm a Debian bigot - not a *BSD one)

  3. somewhat off topic, but... by Raleel · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Has anyone read the license for redhat advanced server? Has anyone tried to resolve it against the GPL? Specifically the part that says if you are going to have more installed systems, you need to buy the service to go along with it. Installed system is defined as a machine that has the software on it, not a machine that has the software plus the service.

    It seems to directly go against the GPLs prohibition against imposing additional restrictions on copying.

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    -- Who is the bigger fool? The fool or the fool who follows him? --