Subject: Re: GPL Violation?
From: David Woodhouse <dwmw2@infradead.org>
To: Ian Stirling <ian.stirling@mauve.plus.com>
Cc: Patrick McFarland <diablod3@gmail.com>,
       Anonymous User <anonymouslinuxuser@gmail.com>,
       linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
In-Reply-To: <44E4FF89.3080500@mauve.plus.com>
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	 <200608170242.40969.diablod3@gmail.com>
	 <1155807431.22871.157.camel@pmac.infradead.org>
	 <44E4FF89.3080500@mauve.plus.com>
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Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2006 09:28:40 +0100
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On Fri, 2006-08-18 at 00:45 +0100, Ian Stirling wrote:
> With the appropriate disclaimers on the box, it cannot function
> incorrectly, as you will know that the  thumb-print reader won't
> work if you upgrade the kernel, and if you intend to do so,
> you don't buy.

As far as I can tell, the GPL does not contain the text "if you are
shipping a commercial product don't really want to comply with this
licence, you can just put a disclaimer on the box of your product and
that's OK instead".

> I've got a number of wireless routers that I don't have working
> drivers for the wifi cards, happily wired into my network doing
> things that they were not intended for, but they are functioning
> 'correctly' as I see it. 

Both are fairly clear examples of GPL violations. The manufacturer has
_not_ granted you the freedom to copy, modify and distribute all the
Linux-based code in the device, as is required by the GPL.

-- 
dwmw2

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