Licence change?

Discussions related to the firmware code development
DL4LEX
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:09 pm

Re: Licence change?

Post by DL4LEX » Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:02 pm

Only do something for open source projects if they belong to a big organization that is responsible and takes care of possible legal problems.

KC7RBW
Posts: 159
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2019 1:23 am

Re: Licence change?

Post by KC7RBW » Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:34 pm

DL4LEX wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:02 pm
Only do something for open source projects if they belong to a big organization that is responsible and takes care of possible legal problems.
Good governance (like the Linux Foundation or the Apache Foundation) can sometimes help open source projects thrive. Other organizations like Oracle, MongoDB and Elastic have sometimes taken open source projects and make them closed source (or at least not open source anymore).

The GPL-2.0 license is designed to ensure that neither individuals nor big organizations can take your contributions and then close the source code. Nothing prevents individuals or big organizations from ceasing to work on the project, but the license ensures that if they do, you can form a new community and carry on. I still hope that doesn't happen here, but at the moment it looks like it might.

Personally, I'm far more willing to contribute to a community project than to a big organization, unless that organization is a respectable foundation.

g0hww
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2020 7:56 pm

Re: Licence change?

Post by g0hww » Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:02 pm

Did the project acquire the non-GPLv2 compliant non-commercial restriction, i.e. this bit
This software is licensed under the GPL v2 and is intended for Amateur Radio and educational use only.

Use of this software for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden.
because of re-use of source code from MMDVMHost etc. or did that arise separately?
I am curious to know if it must persist or can be discarded with some sacrifice or rework?

VK3KYY
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Licence change?

Post by VK3KYY » Wed Apr 21, 2021 12:56 am

Can one of you lawyers tell me whether I'm allowed to compile special versions and install them for a disabled Ham at my local club.

If I make changes to the way the buttons work, to make it easier for him to use the radio, am I required to make the code for this available online somewhere.

I'm going to delete my githib repo, so I can't store it there.

Is it OK if I make the source code available only on request, assuming that people give me enough time to comply with that request.



I've already done some special versions for various people, including a version with for use at a remote location for coverage of the Sydney to Hobart boat race, and a version with intrusion detection for a ham who realised that some people in his workplace were messing around with his radio when he wasn't looking.

These versions were only sent to one person, and I'm not even sure if I still have the source code for them.
I guess in future I'll need to archive any private versions I make, in case there is a source code request.

However its a bit late for the versions I created last year

VK3KYY
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Licence change?

Post by VK3KYY » Wed Apr 21, 2021 1:02 am

g0hww wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:02 pm
Did the project acquire the non-GPLv2 compliant non-commercial restriction, i.e. this bit
This software is licensed under the GPL v2 and is intended for Amateur Radio and educational use only.

Use of this software for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden.
because of re-use of source code from MMDVMHost etc. or did that arise separately?
I am curious to know if it must persist or can be discarded with some sacrifice or rework?
The license on MMDVMHost is effectively the same as the OpenGD77 license, becasue we copied what Jonathan did.

However, it has since been brought to our attention that the license on MMDVMHost is invalid. I think if you look on the MMDVMHost issues list, you can probably find the same complaints.

I think thats why Jonathan ceased work on MMDVMHost, and why the code is now probably being used commercially in various pieces of hardware.

KC7RBW
Posts: 159
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2019 1:23 am

Re: Licence change?

Post by KC7RBW » Wed Apr 21, 2021 3:30 pm

VK3KYY wrote:
Wed Apr 21, 2021 12:56 am
Can one of you lawyers tell me whether I'm allowed to compile special versions and install them for a disabled Ham at my local club.
Standard disclaimer: I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.
VK3KYY wrote:
Wed Apr 21, 2021 12:56 am
If I make changes to the way the buttons work, to make it easier for him to use the radio, am I required to make the code for this available online somewhere.
No, the license doesn't require you to make it available online unless you made the build available online. You need to offer the source code to all recipients, and if anyone requests a copy of it you need to give it to them, then anyone who has a copy of the source code can post it somewhere online themselves if they want to.
VK3KYY wrote:
Wed Apr 21, 2021 12:56 am
I guess in future I'll need to archive any private versions I make, in case there is a source code request.
Yes, if you're using the "offer for source" option you'd want to keep the archives for 3 years in case someone asks for it (see section 3b).

The easier thing would be to just give them the source code archive when you give them the .sgl (or you give them back the radio you flashed it onto for them). Then you don't need to keep a copy at all if you don't want to.

Nothing in the license requires you to accept contributions, review pull requests, read bug reports or fix anything ever. In fact it's got a nice disclaimer in there to make sure we understand that. If you want to keep working privately with Daniel and Alex the license doesn't prevent that either. But you do have to ensure that if you offer a build of the firmware to someone (or to everyone) that they can also get the source code with it, and you should understand that they can post that publicly if they want to. If they turn around and give a .sgl to someone else, that person can request the source code from them, so it's best if they already have a copy.

The license doesn't actually give other authors a right to receive your modifications unless they also received a copy of the built firmware that has your modifications in it. I downloaded the .sgl files that you posted to GitHub, so I had a right to receive a copy of the source code as well. Thousands of others also downloaded the .sgl files, so they also have that right.

VE3XEJ
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2020 3:10 pm

Re: Licence change?

Post by VE3XEJ » Wed Apr 21, 2021 4:31 pm

Hello,

I intended to take a softer tone, but since Roger has deleted most of the source code from the OpenGD77 repo, I suppose I'll have to make my request here.

I downloaded a copy of the OpenGD77 firmware dated April 3, 2021. As per the GPL-2 licence, I request a copy of the source code used to compile that version.

Thanks,
Eric

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F1RMB
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Location: Grenoble, France

Re: Licence change?

Post by F1RMB » Wed Apr 21, 2021 4:46 pm

LOL

Spoon feeding ?
Come on, you're probably a grown man.
Search a little bit, you'll find the sources, in an almost "well known location".

ok1pt
Posts: 167
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:38 am

Re: Licence change?

Post by ok1pt » Wed Apr 21, 2021 5:58 pm

F1RMB wrote:
Wed Apr 21, 2021 4:46 pm
LOL

Spoon feeding ?
Come on, you're probably a grown man.
Search a little bit, you'll find the sources, in an almost "well known location".
Hi Daniel!
I'm really curious, which "almost well known location" do you mean.
The sources have been removed from the github, as well as the binary files. There are only building tools, documentation, Comm Driver, Linux udev rules and README.
I was quick enough and I pulled them from the repo when they still were there, so I have a private repo on my disk, but it's the only place where I know that they are now :-). And I know as well, that I can't pull from this github repo anymore, to prevent them being erased :-). I'll have to archive them, to be sure :-).
With regards / 73,
Pavel

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F1RMB
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Location: Grenoble, France

Re: Licence change?

Post by F1RMB » Wed Apr 21, 2021 6:07 pm

Guys....

Did any of you even tried on the github side ?! Lemme guess....

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