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GPL Violations On Windows Go Unnoticed?
Scott_F writes "I recently reviewed several commercial, closed-source slideshow authoring packages for Windows and came across an alarming trend. Several of the packages I installed included GPL and LGPL software without any mention of the GPL, much less source code. For example, DVD Photo Slideshow (www.dvd-photo-slideshow.com) included mkisofs, cdrdao, dvdauthor, spumux, id3lib, lame, mpeg2enc, and mplex (all of which are GPL or LGPL). The company tried to hide this by wrapping them all in DLLs. There are other violations in other packages as well. Based on my testing of other software, it seems that use of GPL software in commercial Windows applications is on the rise. My question is how much are GPL violations in the Windows world being pursued? Does the FSF or EFF follow up on these if the platform is not GPL? How aware is the community of this trend?" This new method of detecting GPL violations could help here.
Oh, let it rest, fer chrissakes!!!
/. that EVERY article has to include a comment featuring the tired, stale "overlords" joke?
Is it a new rule on
If you can't be bothered to put a twist on it, or show even an ounce of creativity, then you are just aping other Slashdotters... you're like the annoying kid brother who keeps jumping up and down hoping to get noticed so he can "be part of the club." The answer is: NO. Go away.
>"windows specific" issue at all.
Hello. Welcome to slashdot. Anything can be turned into a criticism of MS. Its childish and stupid but the kiddies looking for their daily outrage seem to like it.
My god you are a fucktard. First, you obviously don't have to sign copyright over to the FSF. Many people choose to do it, and it guarantees that the code will never be made proprietary again. Most people who write free software want it to remain free, and want to prevent anyone from turning it into a proprietary product and making money selling their work. If you choose to enforce your own copyrights, that's your own decision -- it just takes money and lawyers to do that, and you may have problems keeping the software free.
Second, I don't get your retarded argument that anyone should be able to use your code. You can use any GPLed code for any purpose -- you just have to ABIDE BY THE LICENSE. The license says you can't make GPLed code proprietary -- it has to stay free. What exactly is your problem with that? Is it the fact that you are one of those retards that writes shareware crap and hopes someone sends him $20 for a shitty program that took 5 minutes to write? Yeah, I suppose the GPL presents certain obstacles to profiting off that crapware -- that's exactly the point.
Wow, you really embody the zeitgeist of the Free Software movement. I guess you posted your catechismic response before bothering to read what you were responding to. Or you simply didn't care. Either way, I give you top marks for scaring more of us towards Open rather than Free licenses.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
So the Free-as-in-Speech crowd finally has a whipping boy, or many, if you RTFA, and whats happening? NOTHING. Why is that? Because the classic 'intellectual' response kicks in - hand-wringing, hints that the folks doing this are 'evil', that they have a License which prohibits this, etc. Will they go to court? No. Will they do anything? No.
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
Well, you can point that blame on the FSF who are insisting on placing GNU in front of everything to assert some sort of ownership or relationship over it. It is just natural that someone buying into it would think that way.
Wooah... you mean you not only transfer your copyright but you also have to *pay* the FSF for legal costs concerning "protecting" the code of which you transfered any and all (copy)rights to the FSF?
I know a great cult for you, it's called scientology. There you can get even much better legal protection after giving them your first born.
Or heck, just ask the mob for "protection" of your house and store after you give it to them. Fool.