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

[Andrew M.A. Cater]

On Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 03:50:03PM +0000, Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton wrote:
> 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!
> 

Much as I thought, then. It might be a good thing to say sorry and that 
we misunderstood, that we will help them pursue Naijing. It may also be 
worth calling off the GPL police on Chitech and sending them to Naijing.

> 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.
> 

Best we get stock Debian on it then :)

> 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.
> 

If we can give them Debian, then they can move from there. If they stop 
distributing mid-fun, they stop being in trouble?

> 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.
> 
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