Re: Possible GPL Violation of Linux in Amstrad's E3 Videophone

From: "Jeff V. Merkey" <jmerkey@drdos.com>
To: Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>
Cc: jonathan@jonmasters.org,
	"jmerkey@comcast.net" <jmerkey@comcast.net>,
	Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Possible GPL Violation of Linux in Amstrad's E3 Videophone
Date: Thu, 07 Oct 2004 13:21:44 -0600	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <41659748.9090906@drdos.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <1096738439.25290.13.camel@localhost.localdomain>

Alan Cox wrote:

>If you look at the motivation you'd then have to ask yourself why they
>would want to do that given that a) They from the start said publically
>"its using Linux" and b) Are dropping custom (well probably bought in
>mostly) apps onto a generic reference platform.
>
>Not only they seem to be behaving but I can see no obvious game
>advantages for them to cheat.
>
>One thing that certainly would be interesting as a thought experiment
>for the legal bods (the real ones) would be what occurs if the license
>on a couple of essential bits of the kernel was to say
>
>	GPL v 2 blah bla 
>
>	or you may choose to distribute the software without source
>	code for $100,000 per product you ship it in.
>
>This would then also give both a Judge and the thief a clear crystalised
>value for damages....
>
>Alan
>
>  
>

Alan,

The following is submitted based on your comment.

I was intrigued by your proposal for a binary license, so I
discussed it with my business associates.

We offer to kernel.org the sum of $50,000.00 US for a one time
license to the Linux Kernel Source for a single snapshot of
a single Linux version by release number.  This offer must be
accepted by **ALL** copyright holders and this snapshot will
subsequently convert the GPL license into a BSD style license
for the code.  In other words, what we are asking for is the ability
to snapshot kernel.org at 50K a pop for a license to each
2.<even number> release, then take any even number release
private.  This allows all changes to a 2.<even number>
release to be used for a particular release per license without
returning changes.  This money will be made payable to kernel.org
and must be accepted by everyone. 

If you think this is a good idea, we are prepared to actually
execute on this proposal.  This is for real, and let me know
who to make the check out to. 

Please advise.

Jeff

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