Submission + - Iptable and busybox to sue major european telco
Lejade writes: "Harald Welte (of iptable and gpl-violations.org fame) is suing the
second biggest French internet operator, with moral support from
two Busybox authors, Rob Landley and Erik Andersen, and legal
support from the FSF France. The operator, ironically named "Free", is
accused of violating these author's rights by infringing the GPLv2
while distributing their homebrewed DSL router boxes, the "freebox".
Free (mother company is Iliad) is well known for bringing major innovations on the french DSL market, thanks to their massive usage of free-as-freedom software in their core-product, the Freebox. This network appliance is a router, a TV decoder, a VoIP phone switch and since recently a wireless PVR and personal storage space.
The French community started talks with the operator several years ago, asking them to advertize and provide the source for the GPL software embedded into their Freebox, distributed in more than 2 millions homes in France. Iliad was granted 30 days to comply with the terms of the GPL before the issue is brought to the court.
In the meantime, a donation campaign has been setup to help covering the legal costs. 12,000 of the 25,000 needed for the first phase have been raised so far."
Free (mother company is Iliad) is well known for bringing major innovations on the french DSL market, thanks to their massive usage of free-as-freedom software in their core-product, the Freebox. This network appliance is a router, a TV decoder, a VoIP phone switch and since recently a wireless PVR and personal storage space.
The French community started talks with the operator several years ago, asking them to advertize and provide the source for the GPL software embedded into their Freebox, distributed in more than 2 millions homes in France. Iliad was granted 30 days to comply with the terms of the GPL before the issue is brought to the court.
In the meantime, a donation campaign has been setup to help covering the legal costs. 12,000 of the 25,000 needed for the first phase have been raised so far."
