Probable violation on mobile device
Javier Palacios
javiplx at gmail.com
Tue Oct 21 21:21:29 CEST 2008
Hello,
I want to inform about a quite likely violation of GPL on a mobile phone.
In brief, manufacturer is Yuhua, and it is reselled at least on
Indonesia (i-mobile)
and Spain (funker).
My phone, so my contacts, comes from the spanish brand
(http://funker.es/f901.html).
The brochures and so states it is a linux mobile, but GPL is not even
mentioned on
the hardcopied quick guide nor in the pdf documents in the supplied CD.
Reflashing tools are on http://www.cmrmobile.com/funker901.htm, and as
the filesystems
have no kind of encryption, a loopback mount shows clear traces of
GPL'ed software.
Specifically, I see busybox, and also dpkg and mii-tool binaries there.
I have contacted the firm that solds on Spain. First the technical
support for generic
questions as well as explicit source code request, attaching some
informative links
to docs in the GPL violiations site. After I didn't get redirection
from tech to legal
or any other department, I tried a direct mail to a wider audience
(the four contact
emails on the web page). I've asked again in similar terms. In both
cases I stated
that I did only ask for GPL components, as the QT ones might not be covered by
the trolltech open source license. In both cases, all I got was a
forward to factory
of my request, and typical answer that they were considering to
release source but
very likely will not.
I can search for specific dates, but the source code request did start
nearly two
months ago (long enough I believe), and I'm not the only one who did
such a request
(I'm in contact with another owner of the same device).
There are many other smaller points, but I think that the summary is
long enough.
My question is how could/should I proceed now? Appart from check any
other issues
that people from the list could suggest to "certify" that this is a
GPL violation.
Javier Palacios
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