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Suit Claims Diebold Voting Machines Violate GPL

Posted by kdawson on from the insult-to-injury dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Diebold Inc. and its subsidiary, Premier Election Solutions, is using Ghostscript in its electronic election systems even though Diebold and PES 'have not been granted a license to modify, copy, or distribute any of Artifex's copyrighted works,' Artifex claims in court papers filed late last month in US District Court for Northern California. The gs-devel list first brought up the possible GPL violation a year ago."

3 of 252 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Are they distributing the software? by CppDeveloper · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When they sell the machine to the buyer it is distributing the software that the machine runs.

  2. Re:How are they violating the GPL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Moron. The machines in question are running win2k. The software they are distributing with their close systems is ghostscript, which is dual licensed. They either have to have the AFPL commercial license for closed distribution, which they do not, or they have to adhere to the GPL, which they are not.

    According to the MPAA and RIAA, Diabold are stealing software. The fact their systems are flawed and they fight tooth and nail to avoid any inspection of their voting machines, also adds insult. Now we know why, they are thieving pirates.

  3. We Tax payer want our money back! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Dear Diebold,

    Due to security problems, many states are no longer going to use voting machines sold by by your company. From a warranty standpoint, your product never lived up to our expectation, there for we want our money returned.

    American Tax Payer

    PS: Don't you also provide Bank ATM's? Should we be concerned about security of these devices too?