GPL gives them the right to do what they are doing, so long as they follow the rules. Wether they contribute patches back or not is not necessary, any code worth having will make its way back simply because they have to comply with GPL themselves.
They aren't using a stolen project, GPL was written specifically to allow software to be sold. For slim it sells hardware, for this group that's primarily what it is doing as well.
This bears repeating. Not only are they not stealing, they're not even being unethical. By choosing to release software under the GPL, Slim Devices chose for this sort of thing to be allowed. It's the nature of Free Software. Free Software is _not_ about anyone's right to get software without paying for it -- it's about your rights to make software that you already have do what you need it to do, and your rights to redistribute those changes.
While they don't mention the GPL anywhere on their site, they are not required to, and I'm sure that the download does contain the required GPL notices, which inform any buyer of their rights to obtain and redistribute the source code.
- Marc _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
