Linux-kernel mailing list archive 2000-32,: Re: Linux GPL violations

# Re: Linux GPL violations

Joseph Elwell (jelwell@yahoo.com)
Sat, 5 Aug 2000 14:57:37 -0700 (PDT)

- Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
- Next message: David Caswell: "2.4.0-test5 kapmd doesn't work after suspend"
- Previous message: James Stevenson: "Re: 2.2.16 - Crash"

Here's an udpate for everyone on the Virgin Webplayer
/ Merinata GPL violation.

This is in response to my original posting to the
Linux kernel mailing list; I'm including that post
here:

>I've read through months of archives, trying to find
a
>good place to report this, but have not been able to
>find anything.
>
>Where is a good place to report GPL violations
>concerning the Linux Kernel?
>
>I recently got a virign webplayer
>(http://www.virginconnectme.com/). It runs Linux as
>it's operating system. There's no mention of Linux or
>the GPL in the license that is included in the
manual.
>In fact the license in the manual concerning the
>"Software" is rather restrictive. And there's no
>mention of how to obtain the source for the kernel.
>
>The people who sell the machine to virgin, is Merinta
>(http://www.merinta.com/). You can verify that the
>machines virgin use are running linux
>(http://www.merinta.com/news/release000411.html).
>Merinta, from what I understand from posts by
>(presumedly) employees of Boundless (their mother
>corporation) have many GPL violations according to:
>http://www.kenseglerdesigns.com/cgi-bin/UltraBoard/UltraBoard.pl?Action=ShowPost&Board=vwgeneral&Post=17&Idle=0&Sort=0&Order=Descend&Page=0&Session=
I like the idea of all these new Internet devices
>coming out, running Linux. But it worries me that
>they'll all ignore the GPL as they go. Making it more
>difficult for fututre improvements in the kernel
code.
>
>
>
>I'm not on the Linux kernel mailing list. So please
CC
>me directly at jelwell@yahoo.com.
>
>Thanks,
>Joseph Elwell.

In my investigation to determine whether Virgin's
Webplayer, manufactured by Merinta, I've documented
the section of the License Agreement that deals with
the Software installed; that ships with the Virgin
Webplayer.

Section 2.2 of the member agreements reads as follows:

2.2 Webplayer Software License. Subject to the
provisions of this Agreement, we grant to you a
limited, non-exclusive, personal, non-transferable
license to use and display the Webplayer Software in
object code form only, solely as part of and as
necessary to use the Webplayer and the Virginconnect
Services. Except for the license granted to you above,
we (or our licensors) retain all right, title and
interest, including all intellectual property rights,
in and to the Webplayer Software. You may not attemp
(or authorize any attempt) to defeat, obstruct or
block any or all of the Webplayer Software
functionality, or to decompile, reverse engineer or
disassemble the Webplayer or the Webplayer Software.

Below is a listing of the filesystem that is currently
(roughly 7/28/2000); some sections I've not filled in
due the immensity of the files listed in those (and
subdirectories of those). If someone asks me nicely
-with reason - I'll fill those sections in:

Some highlights of the filesystem (which make me
believe they're also running a GNU system (which
wasn't mentioned on their press release - but is of
course heavily implied when they say the machine runs
the "Linux operating system".):
/usr/lib/libg++.so.2.7.2
/usr/lib/libg++.so.2.7.2.8
/usr/lib/libstdc++.so.2.7.2
/usr/lib/libstdc++.so.2.7.2.8

/bin/arch
/bin/cat
/bin/chmod
/bin/date
/bin/dd
/bin/echo
/bin/kill
/bin/ln
/bin/ls
/bin/mkdir
/bin/mknod
/bin/mount
/bin/ntpdate
/bin/ProgMonTerm
/bin/rm
/bin/sh
/bin/sleep
/bin/stty
/bin/umount
/boot/boot.3E00
/boot/boot.b
/boot/doc2000
/boot/map
/channels/g2/channel.cert
/channels/g2/channel.sig
/channels/g2/Codecs/14_4.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Codecs/28_8.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Codecs/cokr.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Codecs/ddnt.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Codecs/dnet.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Codecs/dspr.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Codecs/sipr.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Common/cookies.txt
/channels/g2/Common/rmacore.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Plugins/httpfsys.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Plugins/meta.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Plugins/rarender.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Plugins/rarender.so.6.0
/channels/g2/Plugins/sdpplin.so.6.0
/channels/g2/postinstall.sh
/channels/g2/properties.txt
/channels/iap/.castanet
/channels/iap/bin/G2Player
/channels/iap/bin/G2Player.sh
/channels/iap/bin/igotosleep
/channels/iap/bin/iasignal
/channels/iap/channel.cert
/channels/iap/channel.sig
/channels/iap/custom.jar
/channels/iap/e4core.jar
/channels/iap/ia.jar
/channels/iap/java/security/SecureRandom.class
/channels/iap/javascript.jar
/channels/iap/ke31lib.jar
/channels/iap/ke31rtk1.jar
/channels/iap/ke31xtra.jar
/channels/iap/lib/libIALinux.so
/channels/iap/lib/libIASecureRandom.so
/channels/iap/localweb/about.html
/channels/iap/marimba.jar
/channels/iap/marimba.zip
/channels/iap/net1core.jar
/channels/iap/pj.jar
/channels/iap/postinstall.sh
/channels/iap/properties.txt
/channels/iap/rootcerts.64
/channels/iap/run
/channels/iap/sonata.jar
/channels/iap/updatenow.jar
/channels/iap/updatesdk.jar
/channels/iap/xml.jar
/channels/jre/.castanet
/channels/jre/bin/i586/green_threads/jre
/channels/jre/channel.cert
/channels/jre/channel.sig
/channels/jre/COPYRIGHT
/channels/jre/lib/awt.properties
/channels/jre/lib/content-types.properties
/channels/jre/lib/font.properties
/channels/jre/lib/i586/green_threads/libawt.so
/channels/jre/lib/i586/green_threads/libjava.so
/channels/jre/lib/i586/green_threads/libjpeg_sun.so
/channels/jre/lib/i586/green_threads/libmath.so
/channels/jre/lib/i586/green_threads/libmmedia.so
/channels/jre/lib/i586/green_threads/libnet.so
/channels/jre/lib/i586/green_threads/libsysresource.so
/channels/jre/lib/i586/green_threads/libzip.so
/channels/jre/lib/i686/green_threads/libjava.so
/channels/jre/lib/psfont.properties.ja
/channels/jre/lib/ra.jar
/channels/jre/lib/security/java.security
/channels/jre/lib/serialver.properties
/channels/jre/postinstall.sh
/channels/jre/properties.txt
/channels/manifest/.castanet
/channels/manifest/channel.cert
/channels/manifest/channel.sig
/channels/manifest/manifest.xml
/channels/manifest/properties.txt
/channels/os/.castanet
/* These channels directories appear to just be
mirrors of the filesys. So I'm not documenting all the
individual files again */
/channels/os/bin/*
/channels/os/boot/*
/channels/os/channel.cert
/channels/os/channel.sig
/channels/os/etc/*
/channels/os/lib/*
/channels/os/postinstall.sh
/channels/os/properties.txt
/channels/os/sbin/*
/channels/os/usr/*
/channels/X11/.castanet
/channels/X11/bin/fvwm
/channels/X11/bin/system.fvwmrc
/channels/X11/bin/XF86_SVGA
/channels/X11/bin/xfstt
/channels/X11/bin/xgifroot
/channels/X11/bin/xinit
/channels/X11/bin/xinitrc
/channels/X11/bin/xmodmap
/channels/X11/channel.cert
/channels/X11/channel.sig
/channels/X11/lib/libICE.so.6
/channels/X11/lib/libICE.so.6.3
/channels/X11/lib/libSM.so.6
/channels/X11/lib/libSM.so.6.0
/channels/X11/lib/libX11.so.6
/channels/X11/lib/libX11.so.6.1
/channels/X11/lib/libXext.so.6
/channels/X11/lib/libXext.so.6.3
/channels/X11/lib/libXmu.so.6
/channels/X11/lib/libXmu.so.6.0
/channels/X11/lib/libXp.so.6
/channels/X11/lib/libXp.so.6.2
/channels/X11/lib/libXt.so.6
/channels/X11/lib/libXt.so.6.0
/channels/X11/lib/standby.gif
/channels/X11/lib/X11/XXXTODO Too many files. If this
is important email jelwell@yahoo.comXXX
/channels/X11/lib/Xmodmap
/channels/X11/postinstall.sh
/channels/X11/properties.txt
/dev/apm_bios
/dev/console
/dev/dsp
/dev/fla
/dev/fla1
/dev/initctl
/dev/kmem
/dev/mem
/dev/mixer
/dev/null
/dev/psaux
/dev/ptyp0
/dev/ptyp1
/dev/ptyp2
/dev/ram0
/dev/snd
/dev/tty
/dev/tty0
/dev/tty1
/dev/tty2
/dev/ttyp0
/dev/ttyp1
/dev/ttyS0
/dev/ttyS1
/dev/uuid
/dev/zero
/etc/adjtime
/etc/apmd
/etc/asound.conf
/etc/conf.modules
/etc/host.conf
/etc/hosts
/etc/inittab
/etc/ioctl.save
/etc/ld.so.cache
/etc/ld.so.conf
/etc/lilo.conf
/etc/nsswitch.conf
/etc/ppp/ip-down
/etc/ppp/options
/etc/ppp/pap-secrets
/etc/rc.d/ln.sh
/etc/rc.d/mkDevices.sh
/etc/rc.d/mkLinks.sh
/etc/rc.d/mknod.sh
/etc/rc.d/rc.profile
/etc/rc.d/rc.reboot
/etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit
/etc/rc.d/startx.sh
/etc/resolv.conf
/lib/ld-2.1.2.so
/lib/libc.so.6
/lib/libc-2.1.2.so
/lib/libcom-err.so.2
/lib/libcrypt.so.1
/lib/libcrypt-2.1.2.so
/lib/libdl.so.2
/lib/libdl-2.1.2.so
/lib/libext2fs.so.2
/lib/libm.so.6
/lib/libm-2.1.2.so
/lib/libnss-dns.so.2
/lib/libnss-files.so.2
/lib/libpthread.so.2
/lib/libpthread-0.8.so
/lib/libresolv.so.2
/lib/librt-2.1.2.so
/lib/libtermcap.so.2
/lib/libtermcap.so.2.0.8
/lib/libuuid.so.1
/lib/libuuid.so.1.2
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-card-sb16.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-hwdep.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-mixer.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-mixer-oss.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-op13.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-pcm.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-pcm-oss.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-rawmidi.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-sb16-csp.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-sb16-dsp.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-seq-device.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/snd-timer.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/misc/uuid.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/modules.dep
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/net/bsd-comp.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/net/eepro100.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/net/ppp-deflate.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/net/ppp.o
/lib/modules/2.2.12-20/net/slhc.o
/lost+found/
/proc/XXXTODO Too many files. If this is important
email jelwell@yahoo.comXXX
/ramdisk/etc/ppp/options.ppp
/ramdisk/etc/ppp/secrets.pap
/ramdisk/etc/resolv.conf
/ramdisk/lost+found/
/ramdisk/etc/tmp/.font-unix
/ramdisk/etc/tmp/.X0-lock
/ramdisk/etc/tmp/.X11-unix/X0
/ramdisk/etc/var/cache/xfstt/ttinfo.dir
/ramdisk/etc/var/cache/xfstt/ttname.dir
/ramdisk/etc/var/run/apmd.pid
/ramdisk/etc/var/run/ppp0.pid
/ramdisk/etc/var/run/xfstt.pid
/sbin/depmod
/sbin/fsck.ext2
/sbin/halt
/sbin/hwclock
/sbin/ifconfig
/sbin/init
/sbin/insmod
/sbin/kerneld
/sbin/ldconfig
/sbin/lilo
/sbin/lsmod
/sbin/mkfs.ext2
/sbin/modprobe
/sbin/pidof
/sbin/pump
/sbin/reboot
/sbin/rmmod
/sbin/route
/sbin/shutdown
/sbin/update
/storage/.castanet
/storage/cookie.db
/storage/favorite.txt
/storage/local.cfg
/storage/log.cache
/storage/uuid
/tmp/.font-unix
/tmp/.X0-lock
/tmp/.X11-unix/X0
/usr/bin/alsactl
/usr/bin/amixer
/usr/bin/cut
/usr/bin/expr
/usr/bin/file
/usr/bin/id
/usr/bin/test
/usr/lib/libasound.so.1
/usr/lib/libasound.so.1.0.0
/usr/lib/libg++.so.2.7.2
/usr/lib/libg++.so.2.7.2.8
/usr/lib/libstdc++.so.2.7.2
/usr/lib/libstdc++.so.2.7.2.8
/usr/sbin/apmd
/usr/sbin/pppd
/usr/share/magic
/var/cache/xfstt/ttinfo.dir
/var/cache/xfstt/ttname.dir
/var/run/apmd.pid
/var/run/ppp0.pid
/var/run/xfstt.pid

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Kick off your party with Yahoo! Invites.
http://invites.yahoo.com/

-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/

- Next message: David Caswell: "2.4.0-test5 kapmd doesn't work after suspend"
- Previous message: James Stevenson: "Re: 2.2.16 - Crash"