Questions on GPL application for embedded product

[Pierre Michon]

Hi,

On 5/25/06, Harald Welte <laforge at gnumonks.org> wrote:

> > Going further, if this is correct under the GPL, hypothetically what
> > prevents a manufacturer from embedding in the device a closed-source
> > or "hard-wired" mechanism (say PKI) that allows only binary images
> > compiled by him and marked with a special tag to work, and just throws
> > an innocent error message for anyone else who tries?
>
> This is a question of interpretation.  My interpretation, which is
> backed by the most prominent legal experts on the GPL in Germany, is
> that this is not possible, because it prevents the purpose to enable the
> user to run modified versions of the program.
>
> > In summary, the first question is whether the manufacturer must provide
> > tools to actually "flash" the chip in the device with the resulting
> > binary?
>
> according to the gpl-violations.org legal position: yes.

So this means that companies that builds devices that only accept
signed binaries violate the GPLv2 ?

Wasn't the GPLv3 draft that force companies to give the private key in
such case ?

Pierre