On Thu, 08 Aug 2013 10:03:12 -0700 (PDT), Cole wrote in message <1375981391577.53a26762@Nodemailer>:
> My friend picked up a Linksys BEFSR81 router > (<http://msupport.linksys.com/en-us/support/routers/BEFSR81>) at > D[EFF]con, ..exactly when did your friend pick it up? That decides the 3 years in the GPLv2. > and we're working on modding/hacking it. However, we can't > find the source code for it. > > > We've contacted Linksys tech support and they claim that they /"used > to"/ provide the source code upon request. However, the support > person claimed that because the router has been EOL ("End of Life") > for 3 years, ..irrelevant, their 3 year source code obligation ends 3 years after their last sale etc distribution under the terms of the GPL. If they e.g. sold it to some mall 4 years ago, and that mall gave it to "D[EFF]con" 2 years ago, your friend will follow that route back to the source. No source at the mall means no more license for the mall nor for "D[EFF]con", etc. Just follow your chain of distributional custody transfers. > they are unable to provide us with the source code. ..now that would be unwise, as it would have them lose e.g. Wallmart as a sales channel. > As far as we know, Linksys runs Linux. Linux is licensed under the > GPLv2. They even mention in the email that the source code is open > source ("open source based source code"). I'm pretty sure this is a > clear violation. ..you have not shown us that yet. > We've sent off an email to their legal department, but have yet to > receive a response. ..are they aware of your chain of custody transfers? Do they have any obligations under the GPLv2 coming from your chain of custody transfers? > For reference, here is the convorsation with the > support team. I've added a screenshot link below. Also, his > name /isn't/ Terry Morrison: > > > Cisco [Auto-Response]: > > Thank you for contacting the office of the Open Source Manager > > located within Linksys. Please allow 2-3 business days for our > > office to get back to you. Please note the purpose of this office > > is to handle Open Source inquiries/requests for Linksys > > products/services. If you need assistance troubleshooting your > > product, visit our Linksys Support > > website www.linksys.com/support where you will find Downloads, > > Guide Me, FAQs, Community Forums, Videos and Live Chat. To contact > > us, visitsupport.linksys.com/contactus Thank you and have a great > > day. > > > "Terry": > > Hi I talked to your twitter support about getting the firmware > > and/or the source code for the BEFSR81 ver. 3 router. I also wanted > > to know if I could get a diagram depicting the serial port pinouts > > on the board. Thank You, Terry Morrison > > > "Terry" [image attached]: > > I hope you get the picture, can you please show me where the serial > > port pinouts are and the labels of them? Thank You, Terry Morrison > > > Cisco [Nazareno Ian L. (18156)]: > > Thank you for contacting the Office of the Open Source Manager. > > The product you requested has been in EOL status for more than 3 > > years. As a result, we are no longer providing open source-based > > source code for this device. You may check firmware availability by > > visiting http://support.linksys.com. > > > Cisco: > > Thank you for using our E-mail support system. We appreciate your > > business and strive to provide excellent service. A summary of your > > initial e-mail and our responses are included below. We hope we've > > been able to assist you. If not, please contact us again by > > replying to this message. Thank you for allowing us to be of > > service to you. Please enter your reply in the space below. Text > > entered anywhere else in the reply will be discarded. [===> Please > > enter your reply below this line <===] Hi, I'm wondering why you > > have stopped providing the source code for this device. Your > > routers run Linux and are therefore open source. I'm not trying to > > be rude, but you must have a copy lying around somewhere... [===> > > Please enter your reply above this line <===] > > > For reference, here is a screenshot of the email: > <https://www.dropbox.com/s/nwerzfujdz2pgoc/Photo%20Aug%2008%2C%209%2041%2028%20AM.png> > > > Is this a violation? If so, can we do something about it and not > bring it back to Chad? Please? > > > ---- > > Cole Johnson > -- E-mail: [email protected] > -- Twitter: @5urd > > Hexware, LLC > -- Twitter: @HexwareLLC -- ..med vennlig hilsen = with Kind Regards from Arnt Karlsen ...with a number of polar bear hunters in his ancestry... Scenarios always come in sets of three: best case, worst case, and just in case.
