Linked by Thom Holwerda on Wed 17th Jun 2009 22:49 UTC
"As my colleague Michelle Menga is reporting, Amazon is now making new source code available for its Amazon Kindle. Basically what it represents is, Amazon's responsibility to make the GPL licenced source code that is used in the Kindle available to others. That's part of the GPL license and Amazon is doing its part. Digging into the code that Amazon is now making available, provides some really interesting insight into the underlying structure of the Kindle."
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RE: Why is this different than Tivo?
by umccullough on Thu 18th Jun 2009 02:05
in reply to "Why is this different than Tivo?"
Member since:2006-01-26
No one got on Tivo's case all that much.
Tivo released everything they are required to under the GPL, but still have DRM, and encryption etc on their device.
Big deal.
Tivo released everything they are required to under the GPL, but still have DRM, and encryption etc on their device.
Big deal.
Are you kidding? Tivo was hammered pretty hard (and still is) for violating the spirit of GPL.
GPL was designed to allow *users* to have full control over the software running on their device. Admittedly, like anything, the GPL wasn't perfect. It has loopholes, some of which were plugged in GPLv3.
FSF has always been clear what they stand for, and what the intention of GPL is.
Even if you meet the legal requirements, violating the spirit, or moral requirements is still going to get you some criticism. Any informed individual or corporation, should expect this.
RE[2]: Why is this different than Tivo?
by Morgan on Thu 18th Jun 2009 08:46
in reply to "RE: Why is this different than Tivo?"
Member since:2005-06-29
Are you kidding? Tivo was hammered pretty hard (and still is) for violating the spirit of GPL.
GPL was designed to allow *users* to have full control over the software running on their device. Admittedly, like anything, the GPL wasn't perfect. It has loopholes, some of which were plugged in GPLv3.
FSF has always been clear what they stand for, and what the intention of GPL is.
Even if you meet the legal requirements, violating the spirit, or moral requirements is still going to get you some criticism. Any informed individual or corporation, should expect this.
GPL was designed to allow *users* to have full control over the software running on their device. Admittedly, like anything, the GPL wasn't perfect. It has loopholes, some of which were plugged in GPLv3.
FSF has always been clear what they stand for, and what the intention of GPL is.
Even if you meet the legal requirements, violating the spirit, or moral requirements is still going to get you some criticism. Any informed individual or corporation, should expect this.
And this is why I have never been a big fan of the GPL. Its original purpose was perhaps noble, but it has mutated into a political tool used by its cultish upholders to browbeat any "big" developer into a very narrow path. GPL fans claim it is the most free license, but it is actually very restrictive if you are anything more than a basement dwelling hobbyist developer. I don't agree with Ballmer and others who claim it is communism; that was pure stupidity on their parts. But, it is certainly not freedom in any real sense of the word. At best, it's a ball and chain for any serious developer.
I don't understand why more companies don't use BSD or MIT licensed software. Not only is the license more palatable for everyone, the code is generally better quality too, at least in my limited personal experience.
(And yes, I realize I'm probably going to be flamed and called a troll by the GPL faithful, but despite that I do look forward to honest discussion of this issue.)
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Member since:
2005-07-06
No one got on Tivo's case all that much.
Tivo released everything they are required to under the GPL, but still have DRM, and encryption etc on their device.
Big deal.