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Linksys Still In Violation of the GPL?
A reader writes:"From a recent post to LKML: "...Clearly, the kernel source that Linksys provided cannot be used to recreate the kernel that they are shipping with their product. Therefore, they have been, and still remain in violation of the GPL." Several heavy hitters have signed this one, including Jeremy Allison and Alan Cox." There's also commentary from David Turner and Bradley Kuhn of the FSF.
Several heavy hitters have signed this one, including Jeremy Allison and Alan Cox.
Yea.... Where do I sign?!
that they aren't charging us $699 to use their stuff!
No trees were harmed in the composition of this; however, numerous electrons were inconvenienced.
Ya, a wireless gateway running windows...Id almost use that.
You wouldn't even have to own it to use it - just 0wn it.
HIV Crosses Species Barrier... into Muppets
But someone might use it for Tourism!
We must fight Tourists with closed source software.
Also, /. readers like to talk about it, but if you're posting to slashdot, you're obviously not doing it!
"post a rant on slashdot. It's well known that the RIAA, MPAA, Microsoft, SCO, etc. read weblogs to find out what uninformed 12 year olds think of them, and change business practices accordingly."
So some twelve year old girl's rant about not having any boobs yet is what prompted the music industry to get Britney Spears a breast enlargement back in 1997 or so? Sheesh...
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
Even after no one sued them or did anything but send a mean letter on geek letterhead? That's crazy!
Nitpicking?
:)
Sorry...
This is why companies such as Linksys should use FreeBSD for their work.
With FreeBSD, they can decide how much they want to contribute back and when they wish to contribute it.
It makes the pro-GPL crowd whine because it doesn't further their cause of destroying the value of software, of course, but not as much as they whine about GPL violations.
However, since the point of the GPL was originally to kill programmer's wages - read the GNU Manifesto, *especially* the early versions if you can find one - they were in the old bound Emacs manuls - you'll find that the "Freedom" thing is just so much hogwash, and it's really a spite crusade after lots of people left the MIT AI labs to actually *shock, horror* make better money, and destroyed Stallman's little ivory tower.
Remember, the GPL *IS* Communist in ideals. Stallman is a Socialist. This is not opinion. This if fact.
So, the moral of the story is, use BSD code for commercial development, and give back code you want maintaining, and keep code that is yours.
The BSD guys are happy with this arrangement. Their code is their gift to the community. Before there's screams of "stealing", it can't be stolen. It's a gift. It can't be closed. The original code remains for those that want it. You just can't demand modifications that others have had to spend time, money etc. on writing.
Which, IMHO, is perfectly fair.
(-1, Offtopic)
Holy shit, I think I might be missing out by not reading at -1. Its a whole different world.
I want some of whatever this guy is on, wow...
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Has anyone complained to the BSA about this? Isn't it their "job" to make sure businesses comply with software licensing?