Re: Binary-only firmware covered by the GPL?

John Hasler
2004-03-26T03:17:53Z

Chris writes:
> So is a reverse engineered driver where there is a binary blob the
> preferred form of source?

Where did the blob come from? If the author wrote it in binary (unlikely),
then it's ok. If he wrote it in hex (I've done that) he should supply a
hex file from which the blob can be generated.

> Of course reverse engineered drivers with binary blobs in them are
> probably copyright infringements anyway...

If the author ripped the blob out of someone else's closed-source binary
driver it certainly is. It also is a GPL violation.
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