Yet another Broadcom 63xx manufacturer potentially violating GPL

[Peter Roozemaal]

Mr Smith wrote:
> 
>> Rather, they claimed they maintained ownership of the boxes, and
>> were only placing them at the client sites.
> 
> Google does something similar with the Google Search Applicance. 
> [...]  Oddly enough, when they consider a model of GSA to no longer
> be under support, they never get around to asking for it back. But
> they still seem to promote the idea that "leasing" the GSA hardware 
> is a loophole for the GPL and they can pick and choose which clauses 
> they will and won't follow.

It is an interesting legal question whether "rental of a device" implies
"distribution of software". My non-lawyerly gut feeling says that it is
distribution, most copyright laws that I know require permission of the
copyright holder for commercial rental of CDs, DVDs and videos. I am not
aware of a lawsuit that decided the above question, it could make an
interesting one, less sure of winning than the obvious GPL-infringement
case.

Peter.