[MeeGo-dev] MeeGo core utiltities, coreutils or busybox?

[Dave Neary]

Hi,

Jeremiah Foster wrote:
> The GPLv3 is a license that protects the user's freedoms. It has
> stronger legal protections for the four freedoms than say the MIT,
> modified BSD, etc. That can be "problematic" for certain companies
> but it should not necessarily be problematic for MeeGo.

It also has some (let's call them) grey areas around use in embedded
platforms, which are at best open to debate and interpretation, and at
worst make it difficult to use GPL v3 software in certain embedded
environments.

Specifically section 6 contains previsions that say that if anyone can
update a GPL v3 component then everyone must be able to. Some people
interpret that to mean that on a mobile phone, if the operator wants to
occasionally update the firmware, anyone must be able to update the
firmware - which requires the publishing of tools to do so, and opens
the possibility that a user could remove mandatory regulated functions
from the phone, which would endanger the certification of the phone for
sale in the first place.

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/quick-guide-gplv3.html#protecting-your-right-to-tinker

So it's not quite as clear-cut as you're making out. But then perhaps
this forum isn't the ideal place for that kind of discussion?

Cheers,
Dave.


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