David Kastrup wrote: [...] > The GPL (in any version) does not dictate that manufacturers have to > equip the system with rewritable memory. But if they do, its access
In comments to http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20060922134536257 ------- Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, September 25 2006 @ 03:52 PM EDT > If GPLv2 had the right balance, Tivo couldn't happen. But it did, > and it needs fixing. You feel the only freedom that matters is that > you get code back. That is because you are a programmer. I am an > end user, and Tivo is restricting *my* freedom The whole Tivio argument is totally bogus, and nothing in the proposed wording of the GPL v3 will make any difference for you as a user. It will only reqire small changes to the hardware achieve the same and still comply with the GPL v3. As a designer you will loose some flexibility and it will require more testing and a slightly longer time-to-market. But nothing really dramatic, lots of embedded devices does it this way already. Having the kernel in something like a soldered in one time programable ROM, like old style BIOSes used to be. Making the possibly to upgrade very limited and clearly voiding the varanty for those who do. The kernel(in Tivio case the GPL bit) is only a small part of the device and, the least interesting one to me as a user. And not the part needing updates or bugfix regularly, or at all. At least it should be if, the company employ anything close to competent designers. ------- regards, alexander. _______________________________________________ gnu-misc-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss
