NuTTeR -- Not Entered -- uknutter@graffiti.net wrote:
Ok this company seems to have stolen some of the linux kernel code and distributed it without giving the code away, this is a violation of the GPL. I think that this is all very wrong and will be writing a letter to them in complaint and asking for the source code(lol i bet i get a link to www.kernel.org sent back)!
Unless you have a copy of the binary, then you have no right to ask for the source code. Unless you are the copyright holder of the code they have broken the licence of, you have no right to stop them. I suggest you try contacting them and asking politely whether the rumour you have heard is true and whether they have a reply to the terrible publicity. It will be for others to take them to court if necessary.
"This code is linked with other proprietary code." - dose that not mean that the proprietary code should also become GPL?
If it is linking (ie the API is embedded into their code) and they distribute the results, then it is a derived work and yes.
What do you think will be done? What should be done?
Someone should LART whoever posted that to slashdot. Attack of the flameboys is not the way to resolve this.
I've no idea what will happen.