[Arm-netbook] CT-PC89E / Chitech GPL Violation update: they're "in the middle"

[Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton]

ok, i just heard back from kimberley of chitech, and she explained
that they're "in the middle".  they're just a factory, manufacturing
machines.  this puts them in both a difficult position and also in one
of power, because they are perfectly well entitled to request the GPL
and LGPL source code, just as we are!

right now, the company Naijing, aka "http://mid-fun.com", has them by
the short and curlies by not providing chitech with the OS of the very
hardware which they're manufacturing.

so, ironically, by reverse-engineering the linux kernel and publishing
it, we're doing chitech an enormous favour, freeing them from the
dependence on the GPL violators.

i've also explained, but it does need to be emphasised and made clear
to chitech that by distributing binaries they are _still_ in violation
of the GPL (thank you to richard for pointing that out), even if the
company that supplied _them_ with binaries is also in violation.

i've also asked them to make a formal request for the source code, and
to forward on any responses refusing to provide the source code.

l.