Eken M001 (Wondermedia WM8505) GPL violation - how to proceed?

[Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton]

On Wed, Jul 28, 2010 at 4:33 AM, Angus Gratton <gus at projectgus.com> wrote:

> Will be interesting to see if any of the device manufacturers pick up on
> this. The common excuse for non-GPL-compliance seems to be "we don't
> have source to give"

 the reason for _that_ is because the factory were _not allowed_ the
source code.  they are usually (e.g. the chitech factory) even given
the hardware schematics, ready-made, and effectively told "get on with
it". (if you had a "fly-on-the-wall" you'd probably find that they
were charged for the binary-only GPL applications, too, in direct
violation of the GPL)

 when you explain to the factories that they are just as entitled to
the source code as anyone, they get really quite... nervous isn't
quite the right word... they begin to realise that they've been
screwed, basically, and they react in different ways.  chitech reacted
by dropping the entire product line, including reneging on an order
for 1,000 units.

another factory has had this happen enough times that they have
actually said we would _love_ to work with some people who will give
us the GPL source code, and give _us_ the freedom to design the
product _without_ being totally dependent on each of the CPU-based
cartels that revolve, effectively, around blatant copyright theft.

 l.