Linus was always bitchy... [LWN.net]

Linus was always bitchy...

Posted Sep 27, 2006 21:18 UTC (Wed) by alexbk (subscriber, #37839)
In reply to: Linus was always bitchy... by ibukanov
Parent article: Why Torvalds is sitting out the GPLv3 process (Linux.com)

Not necessarily: the phone and the box have to know which server to query for updates. Make that
configurable (a software problem!) and provide server-side tools (also a software problem!).

A real example: latest Nokia phones allow users to update their firmware themselves. You can either
do it over GPRS data service in GSM networks (in which case the server ip address needs to be
configured on the phone) or via a USB cable with a special windows software tool. Phone's hardware
isn't affected at all.

to post comments

Linus was always bitchy...

Posted Sep 27, 2006 21:40 UTC (Wed) by ibukanov (subscriber, #3942) [Link] (5 responses)

> Make that configurable (a software problem!)

This is not a software problem as you require that the device must accept your input, so the device must have a hardware to do so. And even if the the device already has a keyboard, a license that forces the manufacturer to provided that option would no longer free IMO.

> A real example: latest Nokia phones allow users to update their firmware themselves.

Yes, but what if the manufacturer opted to save the cost and not implemented that, then what? Should GPLv3 prevent that?

Linus was always bitchy...

Posted Sep 27, 2006 21:50 UTC (Wed) by alexbk (subscriber, #37839) [Link] (4 responses)

Can you give an example of hardware that has no input channels for end-user configuration at all?
Even gadgets whose function is to only really emit data to the user, like GPS receivers or
temperature sensors, can and do take user input over the same channel, bluetooth or something
similar.

Linus was always bitchy...

Posted Sep 27, 2006 22:07 UTC (Wed) by ibukanov (subscriber, #3942) [Link] (3 responses)

I agree that the vast majority of the hardware has an input channels, but as a hypothetical case consider a radio-synchronized digital clock (not alarm clock!) which has no buttons. In addition the device take periodic firmwire updates through the radio from a server with particular SSL sertificate to take into account changes in day-light saving schedule.

Would you like for GPLv3 to prevent such device from existence?

Linus was always bitchy...

Posted Sep 27, 2006 22:10 UTC (Wed) by ibukanov (subscriber, #3942) [Link] (1 responses)

> Would you like for GPLv3 to prevent such device from existence?

Correction, I wanted to say:

Would you like for GPLv3 to prevent such device from running GPLv3 code?

Yes.

Posted Sep 27, 2006 23:40 UTC (Wed) by hummassa (guest, #307) [Link]

Unless your server could be blessed with the same ssl certificate so you
could put YOUR code in YOUR clock. That is the thing: If it's MY code,
and I buy MY hardware with MY code on it, I (and others) better have
freedom 1 ("freedom to study the code and adapt it to my needs")
protected all the way down the line.

Because if we don't, everyone will begin to make DRMd hardware and
literally run with all GPLd code. Because -- as every hardware will be
locked -- no one will ever have the freedom to "adapt it to its needs".

Linus was always bitchy...

Posted Sep 27, 2006 22:51 UTC (Wed) by alexbk (subscriber, #37839) [Link]

Uh, which kind of radio, exactly? I can't think of any kind where your example wouldn't fall apart.