Subject: Re: Possible GPL Violation of Linux in Amstrad's E3 Videophone
From: Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>
To: "Jeff V. Merkey" <jmerkey@drdos.com>
Cc: jonathan@jonmasters.org, "jmerkey@comcast.net" <jmerkey@comcast.net>,
       Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
In-Reply-To: <415DD1ED.6030101@drdos.com>
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	 <35fb2e590410011509712b7d1@mail.gmail.com>  <415DD1ED.6030101@drdos.com>
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On Gwe, 2004-10-01 at 22:53, Jeff V. Merkey wrote:
> will say whatever they have to. I've been there, in the real world, all 
> GPL means is you are giving away your IP to whomever is running
> whatever effort and you have little recourse. The GPL is tough to 
> enforce the way its worded for individuals. There's too much

The German counts didn't think so.

> wiggle room for people to use. Alan Cox in a previous email basically 
> stated, " they are being nice and answering emails." Doesn't look
> like it takes much for these people to smooch and kiss up to folks. They 
> will always come back to the table like foxes from the
> henhouse, with chicken feathers all over their lips saying "show me the 
> chickens."

If you look at the motivation you'd then have to ask yourself why they
would want to do that given that a) They from the start said publically
"its using Linux" and b) Are dropping custom (well probably bought in
mostly) apps onto a generic reference platform.

Not only they seem to be behaving but I can see no obvious game
advantages for them to cheat.

One thing that certainly would be interesting as a thought experiment
for the legal bods (the real ones) would be what occurs if the license
on a couple of essential bits of the kernel was to say

	GPL v 2 blah bla 

	or you may choose to distribute the software without source
	code for $100,000 per product you ship it in.

This would then also give both a Judge and the thief a clear crystalised
value for damages....

Alan

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