Artifex launches a GPL-infringement suit against Palm

Posted Dec 8, 2009 4:14 UTC (Tue) by jamesh (guest, #1159)
Parent article: Artifex launches a GPL-infringement suit against Palm

I guess it is too bad that Palm didn't use a GPLv3 version of MuPDF.

If that was the case, they would have the option to release the source code to their PDF reader as a way to regain their right to distribute the code (provided they did so within 30 days).

With the GPLv2 version they used, they've lost all rights to distribute the code by infringing the license, so Artifex could potentially take out an injunction against the sale of Palm's products.

In this respect, the GPLv3 is a bit more business friendly than the GPLv2.

Artifex launches a GPL-infringement suit against Palm

Posted Dec 8, 2009 9:44 UTC (Tue) by forthy (guest, #1525) [Link] (1 responses)

I have no idea what they are complaining about. When I go to opensource.palm.com I can download the mupdf source tarball and the patches applied to it. I haven't bought a Palm Pre, so I don't know if the written offer to obtain source is GPL conforming, but the source itself is available.

Artifex launches a GPL-infringement suit against Palm

Posted Dec 8, 2009 23:57 UTC (Tue) by jamesh (guest, #1159) [Link]

The problem is that Palm have a PDF reader application based on the MuPDF library, and have not released the source code to that application.

That application is clearly a derivative work of the PDF library it is built on, so they would need to release the source code to that too in order to comply with the GPL (or take out a commercial license from Artifex).