The point of GPL is, it gives you absolute control of how you use the software. If someone is just using some free tools, they owe absolutely nothing. The cost comes in when you make some changes or patches.
The terms of GPL are clear: if you build something on the original code, you must contribute your work.
(Free software is like free speech, not free beer. Being free doesn't mean there is no cost)
The business model of consoles have always been ridiculous. It is understandable in 70s-80s that everyone was doing custom hardware and there were few compilers.
Today all gaming hardware is more or less the same, with difference in details(instuction sets, bus architecture etc.). Practically, all titles can be easily ported to all consoles with little effort. The problem is, the megacorps are obsessed with controlling everything about their consoles, forcing titles to be exclusive to them. I see no real difference between a 360 and a PS3, even Wii(ok, less horsepower and different controller). Having monopoly over titles, interfaces etc just makes companies duplicate work done by others, causing a stupid overhead.
The dominant business model has to be changed somehow, but no one is willing to take initiative, of course. After all, capitalism is everyone is trying to take more than the others, instead of benefiting everyone.
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pinouts.ru was the first place i look for pinouts. this wiki looks promising, as it has long lists of commercial gadgets.
You don't need to contribute if you're a user. You just need to make your patches/improvements open, if you have done any.
The point of GPL is, it gives you absolute control of how you use the software. If someone is just using some free tools, they owe absolutely nothing. The cost comes in when you make some changes or patches. The terms of GPL are clear: if you build something on the original code, you must contribute your work. (Free software is like free speech, not free beer. Being free doesn't mean there is no cost)
The business model of consoles have always been ridiculous. It is understandable in 70s-80s that everyone was doing custom hardware and there were few compilers. Today all gaming hardware is more or less the same, with difference in details(instuction sets, bus architecture etc.). Practically, all titles can be easily ported to all consoles with little effort. The problem is, the megacorps are obsessed with controlling everything about their consoles, forcing titles to be exclusive to them. I see no real difference between a 360 and a PS3, even Wii(ok, less horsepower and different controller). Having monopoly over titles, interfaces etc just makes companies duplicate work done by others, causing a stupid overhead. The dominant business model has to be changed somehow, but no one is willing to take initiative, of course. After all, capitalism is everyone is trying to take more than the others, instead of benefiting everyone.