On Fri, Nov 23, 2007 at 03:15:28PM +0000, alan c wrote:
> extract from the blog:
> ===================================
> Through disassembly (I can do that, the software is GPL'd), it appears
> that ASUS has extensively modified the asus_acpi kernel module from
> Linux 2.6.21.4, so that it now works with the eee's hardware. This
> would be good except that
I have seen a few GPL violations documents in the past. I consider this not
technical enough because it provides no evidence as I said. It reads more
like a rant that a technical consideration of potential license violation.
Here's an example of a good one:-
http://tonywhitmore.co.uk/misc/avantis/evidence.html
IMO.
> They simply do not appear to be complying with the GPL, and he recalls
> a previous occasion (IPTables) when they needed a legal action 'reminder'.
>
A "threat" if you will?
There have been similar occasions where people have blogged about this kind
of thing in the recent past. In once memorable situation the hounding that
the developer got led them to shut up shop and leave the community
completely.
> I don't see such a blog as doing the community badly, rather the
> opposite. FOSS is not well understood outside the community and
> freedoms are hard won, and not necessarily convenient to maintain.
There are ways and means of going about these things. Ranting on about it
before approaching the vendor and asking for clarification ranks up there on
my list of "doing it badly".
Cheers,
Al.
