GPL Case Against Danish Satellite Provider

[Darryl Moore]

Dave Cramer wrote:
> 
> 
> On Sun, Aug 16, 2009 at 9:20 AM, James Knott <james.knott-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org
> <mailto:james.knott-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org>> wrote:
> 
>     Michael Lauzon wrote:
>     > >From Slashdot
>     (http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/08/16/001254/GPL-Case-Against-Danish-Satellite-Provider):
>     >
>     > The number of satellite and cable boxes on the Danish market using
>     > Linux has significantly increased during the last couple of years. The
>     > providers Viasat (http://www.viasat.dk/), Yousee
>     > (http://www.yousee.dk/) and Stofa (http://www.stofa.dk/) all provide
>     > HD receivers based on Linux, and all of them fail to provide the
>     > source code or make customers aware of the fact that the units are
>     > based on GPL licensed software. I decided it was time to fix this
>     > situation and luckily the Danish legal company BvHD
>     > (http://www.bvhd.dk/) has decided to take the case. We are starting
>     > with Viasat, which distributes a Samsung box including middleware and
>     > security from NDS, and you can follow the case here
>     > (http://duff.dk/viasat).
>     >
>     >
>     How does it work, if they don't make the box?  I have a Samsung Blu-ray
>     player and it contains the GPL etc. in the manual.  Now if Samsung
>     included it in the manual, but the companies distributing the box don't
>     pass on the manuals, who's at fault?  Does Samsung have the source code
>     on their web site?
> 
> 
> More interesting is that according to the GPL the original authors have
> to make the complaint. So each individual project has to make a legal
> complaint.
> 

From: http://duff.dk/viasat/

August 16th, 2009 - It has been brought to my attention that I do not
state which part of the GPL code I am claiming copyright ownership on. I
have some patches in the Linux kernel and a direct copyright notice in
e.g. therm_adt746x.c. However my patches alone are not going to make a
very strong case and it is my hope that big contributors to busybox and
uClibc will help out making a bigger group of people who had their
copyright violated. I have already contacted several people who have
very clear violations of their copyright in the product, and we are
looking to sue on their behalf too. But let me please be very clear
about the fact that I would rather this case could be settled in a
peaceful manner.
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