gpl violation?

[Clemens Ladisch]

rck at sonnenkinder.org wrote:
> They use gpl covered code (linux, busybox,...) for their
> firmware and the have released a tarball for an old version of this
> firmware. Let' say version 0.1 and a 0.1.tar.gz.
> 
> Now they have released several version of their firmware as
> binary-only and as far as I have checked, the only modifications
> since 0.1 deal with their own proprietary code. So no changes in the
> gpl-covered stuff.
> 
> Is this a gpl-violation or not? Are they forced to release the
> source of the other >0.1 versions? 
> 
> The faq on gpl-violations.org says:
> "For each and every version of the executable program, you have to
> release the precisely corresponding version of the complete
> corresponding source code."
> 
> I interpret "for each and every version"

You omitted the "of the executable program", and "program" in this
context means the GLP'd program, not the entire distribution.

What they do is perfectly OK.


Best regards,
Clemens