Neopwn

[Rod Whitby]

Angus Ainslie wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 22, 2008 at 6:51 PM, Rod Whitby <rod at whitby.id.au
> <mailto:rod at whitby.id.au>> wrote:
> 
>     Didier Raboud wrote:
>     > Russell Hay wrote:
>     >
>     >> I'm assuming they're not intending to release the full code?
>     Certainly
>     >> cant see any mentions of license or downloads on their site.
>     >
>     > Formally, they only have to release the source code to their buyers...
> 
>     ... and then that buyer can release it publicly for everyone else under
>     the terms of the GPL.  Who's going to volunteer to buy one?
> 
>     [In reality, I'm expecting they will make the source code available at
>     the same time they start shipping their first units.  A security testing
>     system without source code available for security review would not fly
>     with most people ...]
> 
> 
> So far they've either redirected or ignored my requests for their
> "custom kernel" changes.
> 
> They also claim all of the source code for the security apps can be
> downloaded from their software page.

Did you purchase a device from them?  The GPL does not require source
code availability to just anyone who wants it - the distributor only
needs to provide it to those people to whom they distribute the binary.

I agree that a good open source citizen should provide the source
publicly as soon as it is available (i.e. even before the binary is
distributed), but the GPL simply doesn't require that so you can't
demand that.

-- Rod