Templates for letters to vendors

[Ole Tange]

On Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 8:32 PM, Ian Stirling <gplvio at mauve.plus.com> wrote:
> Ole Tange wrote:
>>
>> I have a feeling we could get more volunteers to act if we gave them
>> tools to do so.
>>
>> One thing that could help is templates for letters. I see at least 2
>> types:
>> <snip>
>
>> Here are my draft for hardware. Please help improving it.
>>
>> http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df65rjng_124czmbptgp&invite=g2tnvfw
>
> Neglecting reading the docs :)
>
> A customised version of the letters, referring to the law in the country in
> question may be an idea.

I would expect it would hardly be necessary for two reasons:

* The basic copyright is the same in all countries (You cannot copy
without permission)
* The vendor, that you are emailing, may be in a different country and
may not understand the language in which the law is written.

The intention of the letter is to give a tool to the many
GPL-violation spotters, who are not the authors of the software in
question. The goal of the letters should be to get the vendor to
comply.

I have included the hardware version and software version below.

/Ole


http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df65rjng_124czmbptgp&invite=g2tnvfw

To:
<<vendor>>
Copyright department

Regarding: Possible copyright infringement

I have bought <<device>> (hereafter THE DEVICE) at <<store>> on
<<date>>. THE DEVICE seems to include <<GPL softwarepackages>>
(hereafter THE SOFTWARE). If that is not the case, I hope you will
kindly let me know.

To distribute THE SOFTWARE you must have obtained the right to
distribute THE SOFTWARE. If you have not obtained this right, then you
are infringing the copyright of the authors of THE SOFTWARE (hereafter
THE AUTHORS). You may have obtained the right directly from THE
AUTHORS, in which case I hope you will kindly let me know.

THE SOFTWARE is licensed under the GNU General Public License
(hereafter GPL). If you want to distribute software licensed under the
GPL, you will have to accept the GPL. If you do not accept the GPL
then the GPL does not give you the right to distribute THE
SOFTWARE. The GPL requires you to:

* Include a copy of the GPL (Section 4: "...give all recipients a copy
  of this License along with the Program.")

* Clearly state what software is covered by the GPL

* Include the complete source code to THE SOFTWARE (including script
  to compile THE SOFTWARE) in the version it is running on THE DEVICE
  (hereafter THE SOURCE CODE) or a written offer to get it valid for 3
  years (a link to a website is not enough) (Section 6: Conveying
  Non-Source Forms.)

I have be unable to find that you have included a copy of the GPL and
unable to find THE SOURCE CODE or an offer to get it. It therefore
looks as if you are infringing on THE AUTHORS' copyright.

To understand the seriousness of this matter, you may want to
familiarize yourself with the injunction that Sitecom got, stopping
them from selling their device[1], and the Free Software Foundation's
case against Cisco[2].

If I have your answer within 14 days, I will not contact THE AUTHORS
about this possible infringement of their copyright.


Regards,

<<your name>>


[1] http://gpl-violations.org/news/20040519-iptables-sitecom.html
[2] http://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/2008-12-cisco-complaint


- o -

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df65rjng_125hsnv86hf&invite=hff58s9

To:
<<vendor>>
Copyright department

Regarding: Possible copyright infringement

I have downloaded <<file>> (hereafter THE FILE) from your website at
<<URL>> on <<date>>. THE FILE seems to include <<GPL
softwarepackages>> (hereafter THE SOFTWARE). If that is not the case,
I hope you will kindly let me know.

To distribute THE SOFTWARE you must have obtained the right to
distribute THE SOFTWARE. If you have not obtained this right, then you
are infringing the copyright of the authors of THE SOFTWARE (hereafter
THE AUTHORS). You may have obtained the right directly from THE
AUTHORS, in which case I hope you will kindly let me know.

THE SOFTWARE is licensed under the GNU General Public License
(hereafter GPL). If you want to distribute software licensed under the
GPL, you will have to accept the GPL. If you do not accept the GPL
then the GPL does not give you the right to distribute THE
SOFTWARE. The GPL requires you to:

* Include a copy of the GPL (Section 4: "...give all recipients a copy
  of this License along with the Program.")

* Clearly state what software is covered by the GPL

* Include the complete source code to THE SOFTWARE (including script
  to compile THE SOFTWARE) in the version it is running on THE DEVICE
  (hereafter THE SOURCE CODE) or a written offer to get it valid for 3
  years (a link to a website is not enough) (Section 6: Conveying
  Non-Source Forms.)

I have be unable to find that you have included a copy of the GPL and
unable to find THE SOURCE CODE or an offer to get it. It therefore
looks as if you are infringing on THE AUTHORS' copyright.

To understand the seriousness of this matter, you may want to
familiarize yourself with the injunction that Sitecom got, stopping
them from selling their device[1], and the Free Software Foundation's
case against Cisco[2].

If I have your answer within 14 days, I will not contact THE AUTHORS
about this possible infringement of their copyright.


Regards,

<<your name>>


[1] http://gpl-violations.org/news/20040519-iptables-sitecom.html
[2] http://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/2008-12-cisco-complaint