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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."

8 of 443 comments (clear)

  1. WILDCAT IS ON TEH SPOKE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
  2. 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?

    --

    --
    This sig is inoffensive.

  3. you're clearly drunk on cum by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    1) you choke on my fat cock
    2) you drown in my cum
    3) you post cum-drunken jibberish

    next time try to prepare yourself for my hot, sticky load and savor it's essence

  4. Re:GNAA EARLY POST! by IPPOA · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Don't be a jerk.

  5. 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)

  6. Re:Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    (+1, Interesting)

    -- should be --

    (-1, Idiot moderator)

  7. 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.

    --
    -- Who is the bigger fool? The fool or the fool who follows him? --
  8. SEE HOW ORACLE FAILS IT YET AGAIN!!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Go here and see how Oracle can't even maintain their own Search engine on their web site. For even more fun, click the Search link that is provided by the error message! Oracle FAILS IT!!!!!!!! Big TIME! This proves yet again that Oracle is a piece of shit! Boy am I glad that I steered my company away from that turd and onto MySQL.