Does Server Elements violate the GPL?

[mrintegrity]

Also, 

They can bundle as much proprietary software with their products as they
want. They just shouldn't hope for a large community of software
developers (also known as customers) to grow and add value to their
products with third party software and add-ons. (See the kurobox,
another NAS product but from revogear, as a shining example of this in
action).

Companies that use GPL software in this vulture like way are doomed to
lacklustre sales (or at least not as good sales as they could expect
with pure Free Software) in my opinion.

As long as they comply with the terms of the GPL and offer the ability
to get the GPL code + modifications in some way then I really don't care
what else they do.

Alan


On Tue, 2007-10-02 at 00:29 -0700, Yvo van Doorn wrote:
> Hi there,
> 
> I recently came across a company called Server Elements which
> distributes a program called Naslite.  for $29.95 for each of their
> versions. The program uses the Linux 2.4 kernel, various drivers and
> various other GPL software such as netatalk, samba, and rsync. The
> software requires you to activate your license on their website. You
> buy a copy for $29.95, they provide a download link which is only good
> for 15 downloads and/or 90 days (which ever comes first) and once you
> have the program installed you have to obtain a plugin code to
> activate all the GPL services from the program.
> 
> They provided source code to their 1.x software 2-3 years ago but
> nothing to their Naslite-2 which uses even more GPL released programs.
> 
> I know they can charge for GPL software but aren't they required to
> release the source code as well?
> 
> It just seems like this is a very similar scam to that of Sveasoft and
> their pay firmware for the Linksys WRT54G.
> 
> Am I wrong, if so please tell me or am I right and if so what can we
> do to get Server Elements to do the right thing.
>