Re: Dual-Licensing Linux Kernel with GPL V2 and GPL V3

Chris Friesen
2007-06-14T19:38:18Z

Alexandre Oliva wrote:

> So can you please explain to me how enabling TiVO to deny others the
> freedom that it received "in kind", failing to keep with the "in kind"
> spirit of the GPL, encourage people to work together, and to merge?

They're not denying others the freedom that they themselves received.
Tivo took GPL'd software, modified it, and distributed it with their own
custom hardware. You have the right to take their changes, possibly
modify them further, and distribute them (possibly with your own hardware).

The fact that you can't modify the software and load it back onto the
tivo is irrelevent. They are not restricting your distribution of the
software in any way. Rather, they're restricting the *running* of the
software on their proprietary hardware platform.

Chris