[U-Boot] U-book and GPLv3? (fwd)

Richard Stallman
2009-06-26T04:50:26Z

If I use a GPLv3 bootloader in a medical tool, a car, Point of payment terminal,
Military System, etc... it is a grave security flaw.
I'm not sure that you will be very happy if someone can modify the Firmware
freely. As you may loose money to be killed and at the extrem kill millions
of people.

There is no need to exaggerate. Millions of people modify cars
physically, and it is not a dangerous practice.

If you buy a car, or a medical tool for my own use, you deserve to be able
to change the software in it, just as you can change it physically.

The other systems that you speak of are not consumer products, so this
requirement in GPLv3 does not apply to them.

I do not think the v3 is a benefit. I'll never accept the concept to an
opensource licence that will force me to use a software in a specific way that
someone will choose for me as do the v3. It will be freedom kill.

You seem to be worried about something you haven't described clearly.
I think you're afraid of shadows, but since you have not described
them clearly, I really don't know.

All I can say is that no version of the GPL was meant to be an open
source license. Thinking of it in terms of "open source" will tend to
be an obstacle to understanding it.