Has anyone heard about EPIA MII FastBoot ROM Utility? < GPLIssue

[Hendricks David W.]

Does someone want to write a nice elaborate letter to the FSF to see if 
there's a genuine GPL violation going on here?

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004, Stefan de Konink wrote:

> Do you agree with them?
> 
> My understanding of the GPL is, if you extend a program or use an other
> GPL program you must license it as GPL. That is probably also true for
> using the same member definitions. imho
> 
> Stefan
> 
> 
> ps. next to that I find it strange why they even mention FreeBIOS in their
> bios... though I hope they open their code anyway.
> 
> On Thu, 24 Jun 2004, Larry Matter wrote:
> 
> > I asked about this and this is the reply I got:
> >
> >   After checking with our engineers, we found the source code of VIA Fast
> > boot ROM
> > does not contain the GPL source code.
> >   Only one structure's members definitions are the same as the Linux BIOS.
> > The
> > remaining parts are not.
> >   We think it doesn't break the GPL.
> >
> > Larry
> >
> > > Today I discussed it with a collegue of me. He said it is the way you
> > > bring this to VIA, if there is any force, like they do when you infridge
> > > their patents, it just disappears from their website.
> > > At the moment they claim to give a OEM (or a end user) source code (one C
> > > file with compile instructions for VC++ 1.5 (!)).
> > > Probably someone should gently point out that what they give is object
> > > code. And with the question if the want to participate in the LinuxBIOS
> > > code, source for the VGA initialisation for example :)
> > >
> > > Two months ago I had basically the same problem with Acer (BenQ) about
> > > their AccessPoints basically they did the same thing as Linksys. With the
> > > new products they got Wind River...
> > > The FSF coundn't do anything because there was no link to find except for
> > > the Linux Kernel.
> > >
> > > So I presume the EPIA-toyers like the FastBios product the same als the
> > > LinuxBIOS project. Though the LinuxBIOS claims to be unstable for the
> > > board (sounds scary) while 'their' VIA building provides a 'working'
> > > package based on LinuxBIOS.
> > >
> > > Is anybody of the developers group able to take some action?
> > >
> > >
> > > Stefan
> > >
> > > On Thu, 17 Jun 2004, Matt Jarvis wrote:
> > >
> > >> This wouldn't surprise me. Via did the same with the Waste sources,
> > >> built their own version for the PadlockSL utility without mention of the
> > >> fact it was GPL Waste source based. They withdrew the code from their
> > >> webpage when it was put to them that it was a GPL infringement. They
> > >> dont seem to understand the concept of the GPL very well.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Adam Sulmicki wrote:
> > >> >>I'm trying to boot from the CF reader on the VIA Epia platform. After
> > >> >>reading forums and mailinglist this could be possible by the FastBoot
> > >> >>Utility.
> > >> >>
> > >> >>http://downloads.viaarena.com/WinCE/Apr04/fastboot%20v2.01.zip
> > >> >>
> > >> >>But I was a bit surpriced what I found in there...
> > >> >>grep linux `find` and look at the 'loader*.obj'-files.
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >>Can somebody confirm this is _not_ distributed GPL code as a binary?
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > fyi, you can get to this page from :
> > >> >
> > >> > 	http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=343
> > >> >
> > >> > you can do:
> > >> > 	wget http://downloads.viaarena.com/WinCE/Apr04/fastboot%20v2.01.zip
> > >> > 	unzip fastboot%20v2.01.zip
> > >> >   	strings */*/loader?.obj | grep -i linux
> > >> >
> > >> > it gives you stuff like :
> > >> >
> > >> > _linuxbios_versionR
> > >> > _linuxbios_extra_versionX
> > >> > _linuxbios_build`
> > >> > _linuxbios_compile_timef
> > >> > _linuxbios_compile_byp
> > >> > _linuxbios_compile_hostv
> > >> > _linuxbios_compile_domainz
> > >> > _linuxbios_compiler~
> > >> > _linuxbios_linker
> > >> > _linuxbios_assembler
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > etc, etc.
> > >> >
> > >> > also that http page mentioned above has contact info. perhaps
> > >> something to
> > >> > inquire at.
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > _______________________________________________
> > >> > Linuxbios mailing list
> > >> > Linuxbios at clustermatic.org
> > >> > http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> Matt Jarvis
> > >> Technical Development Manager
> > >> Rolec Music Ltd
> > >> 210 Belgravia Works, Marlborough Road, London, UK N19 4NF
> > >> Tel: +44 207 281 4776 Fax : +44 207 281 4565
> > >> mailto: matt at rolec.ltd.uk
> > >> web: www.rolecmusic.com
> > >>
> > >> This email is strictly confidential and intended solely for the
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> > >>
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> >
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> >
> 
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