ASUS SplashTop and Phoenix Hyperspace infringing kernel copyright and GPL

[Imre Kaloz]

On 2008.05.21. 12:44:43 Arnoud Engelfriet <arnoud at engelfriet.net> wrote:

> Armijn Hemel wrote:
>> On Tue, 2008-05-20 at 14:55 -0700, Chris DiBona wrote:
>> > No one has mentioned if they have the documentation requirement
>> > filled. People can distribute whatever they want if the offer by mail
>> > is in place under v2.  I mean, I think it is easier to just offer the
>> > full required source on a mirror , but I think that providng a patch
>> > set and a link to kernel.org , again provided you are satisfying the
>> > doc requirement, is fine by the text of the license.
>>
>> The license would only allow that in certain circumstances (GPLv2,
>> section 3c). The GPLv2 license talks about 'complete corresponding
>> source code', 'source code', etc., but nothing about patches.
>
> I do not think it's compliant with GPLv2 to only distribute patches
> and refer people to the original source. You have to make available
> source for anything you distribute in binary form.


Read the GPL. That option is only valid if you are a non-commercial project/entity.
Companies have to provide the full source code.


Imre