For anyone looking for GPLv3 explanations:

Posted Sep 24, 2006 1:56 UTC (Sun) by sepreece (guest, #19270)
In reply to: For anyone looking for GPLv3 explanations: by Tester
Parent article: Kernel developers' position on GPLv3

First off, whether the code was derivative of the GPLed work would depend on the particular patch and, possibly, on the way the patch facility was implemented.

As to the viability of ROM vs flash, for some kinds of device (like music players) ROM might be just fine. It's unlikely a manufacturer would want to reflash them in the field. For a phone or a DVR, however, I agree that some kind of update capability is probably a necessity.

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For anyone looking for GPLv3 explanations:

Posted Sep 24, 2006 23:10 UTC (Sun) by k8to (guest, #15413) [Link] (1 responses)

For the record, music players do regularly flash-upgrade the firmware.

One of the reasons flash was created was because to be able to create
high density programmable rom, which is not achivable via other methods
with the levels of density flash has achieved. It maybe possible to
create traditional roms with the density required, but there are massive
logistical problems that go along with non-programmable ROM in terms of
wasted parts, large runs being required, the cost of bugs, and so on.

I believe that the day of non-programmable rom has passed, and that this
is why free software ethics are now being applied to firmware, because
there is no longer the unchangeability issue that made the argument moot.

For anyone looking for GPLv3 explanations:

Posted Sep 25, 2006 15:08 UTC (Mon) by sepreece (guest, #19270) [Link]

You're right about music players - I forgot the various times I have updated my iPod's software. I do htink there are some devices small and narrowly purposed enough to be ROM-suitable, but I agree that mainstream music players were a poor example.