Does someone want to write a nice elaborate letter to the FSF to see if there's a genuine GPL violation going on here?
On Thu, 24 Jun 2004, Stefan de Konink wrote: > Do you agree with them? > > My understanding of the GPL is, if you extend a program or use an other > GPL program you must license it as GPL. That is probably also true for > using the same member definitions. imho > > Stefan > > > ps. next to that I find it strange why they even mention FreeBIOS in their > bios... though I hope they open their code anyway. > > On Thu, 24 Jun 2004, Larry Matter wrote: > > > I asked about this and this is the reply I got: > > > > After checking with our engineers, we found the source code of VIA Fast > > boot ROM > > does not contain the GPL source code. > > Only one structure's members definitions are the same as the Linux BIOS. > > The > > remaining parts are not. > > We think it doesn't break the GPL. > > > > Larry > > > > > Today I discussed it with a collegue of me. He said it is the way you > > > bring this to VIA, if there is any force, like they do when you infridge > > > their patents, it just disappears from their website. > > > At the moment they claim to give a OEM (or a end user) source code (one C > > > file with compile instructions for VC++ 1.5 (!)). > > > Probably someone should gently point out that what they give is object > > > code. And with the question if the want to participate in the LinuxBIOS > > > code, source for the VGA initialisation for example :) > > > > > > Two months ago I had basically the same problem with Acer (BenQ) about > > > their AccessPoints basically they did the same thing as Linksys. With the > > > new products they got Wind River... > > > The FSF coundn't do anything because there was no link to find except for > > > the Linux Kernel. > > > > > > So I presume the EPIA-toyers like the FastBios product the same als the > > > LinuxBIOS project. Though the LinuxBIOS claims to be unstable for the > > > board (sounds scary) while 'their' VIA building provides a 'working' > > > package based on LinuxBIOS. > > > > > > Is anybody of the developers group able to take some action? > > > > > > > > > Stefan > > > > > > On Thu, 17 Jun 2004, Matt Jarvis wrote: > > > > > >> This wouldn't surprise me. Via did the same with the Waste sources, > > >> built their own version for the PadlockSL utility without mention of the > > >> fact it was GPL Waste source based. They withdrew the code from their > > >> webpage when it was put to them that it was a GPL infringement. They > > >> dont seem to understand the concept of the GPL very well. > > >> > > >> > > >> Adam Sulmicki wrote: > > >> >>I'm trying to boot from the CF reader on the VIA Epia platform. After > > >> >>reading forums and mailinglist this could be possible by the FastBoot > > >> >>Utility. > > >> >> > > >> >>http://downloads.viaarena.com/WinCE/Apr04/fastboot%20v2.01.zip > > >> >> > > >> >>But I was a bit surpriced what I found in there... > > >> >>grep linux `find` and look at the 'loader*.obj'-files. > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >>Can somebody confirm this is _not_ distributed GPL code as a binary? > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > fyi, you can get to this page from : > > >> > > > >> > http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=343 > > >> > > > >> > you can do: > > >> > wget http://downloads.viaarena.com/WinCE/Apr04/fastboot%20v2.01.zip > > >> > unzip fastboot%20v2.01.zip > > >> > strings */*/loader?.obj | grep -i linux > > >> > > > >> > it gives you stuff like : > > >> > > > >> > _linuxbios_versionR > > >> > _linuxbios_extra_versionX > > >> > _linuxbios_build` > > >> > _linuxbios_compile_timef > > >> > _linuxbios_compile_byp > > >> > _linuxbios_compile_hostv > > >> > _linuxbios_compile_domainz > > >> > _linuxbios_compiler~ > > >> > _linuxbios_linker > > >> > _linuxbios_assembler > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > etc, etc. > > >> > > > >> > also that http page mentioned above has contact info. perhaps > > >> something to > > >> > inquire at. > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > _______________________________________________ > > >> > Linuxbios mailing list > > >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >> > http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios > > >> > > >> -- > > >> Matt Jarvis > > >> Technical Development Manager > > >> Rolec Music Ltd > > >> 210 Belgravia Works, Marlborough Road, London, UK N19 4NF > > >> Tel: +44 207 281 4776 Fax : +44 207 281 4565 > > >> mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >> web: www.rolecmusic.com > > >> > > >> This email is strictly confidential and intended solely for the > > >> addressee(s). It may contain personal and confidential information and > > >> as such may be protected by the Data Protection Act 1998. If this email > > >> has come to you in error you must take no action based on it, nor must > > >> you copy or show it to anyone; please reply to this email and highlight > > >> the error. > > >> > > >> Any views or opinions expressed within this email are those of the > > >> author, and do not necessarily represent those of the company. > > >> > > >> Although we have taken steps to ensure that this email and attachments > > >> are free from any virus, we advise that in keeping with good computer > > >> practice the recipient should ensure they are actually virus free. > > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Linuxbios mailing list > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Linuxbios mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios > > > > _______________________________________________ > Linuxbios mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios > _______________________________________________ Linuxbios mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios
