Sunday, November 25th 2007

ASUS EeePC Violates GPL Say Linux Community

Members of the Linux community have complained that the hot new sub-notebook from ASUS, the eeePC, may have violated the spirit of the Linux General Public License (GPL). Some Linux advocates claim the EeePC has not included required source code with the installed Xandros Linux distribution and does not easily enable users to install another distribution. However, there are indications that EeePC fans probably don't care. The ASUS EeePC has been hailed widely as a breakthrough product that could widely integrate Linux in the consumer computing marketspace. However, some Linux purists are upset that the EeePC uses Xandros, a Debian-based distribution which charges license fees and has a similar patent protection agreement with Microsoft to the one signed 12 months ago by Novell. The full story plus all the complaints can be found here.
Source: iTWire
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9 Comments on ASUS EeePC Violates GPL Say Linux Community

#1
F-22
It seems like the linux community is always mad about something...
Posted on Reply
#3
JoJoe
What's up with that? Asus should follow the simple rules, it doesn't cost anything... and not being able to upgrade RAM yourself without voiding the warranty is stupid and it's illegal in the US...
Posted on Reply
#4
TheGuruStud
Asus use to be the shining star of quality and performance. They no longer hold the crown for either. Just another trend downward for them. Sorry, Asus, you don't get any money from me until you shape up.
Posted on Reply
#5
Wile E
Power User
Ummm, who cares about the GPL, other than developers? As an end user, I couldn't care less, as long as my machine does what I want it to do.
Posted on Reply
#6
3991vhtes
PVTCaboose1337Linux is being stupid.
what else is new?

i always thought linux was stupid....
Posted on Reply
#7
Ketxxx
Heedless Psychic
When will the linux folk learn to keep their damn stupid mouths shut? Asus are doing a GOOD thing by not using MS crap, which is what the linux community want, yet they still whine and bitch :rolleyes:
Posted on Reply
#8
mdm-adph
Wile EUmmm, who cares about the GPL, other than developers? As an end user, I couldn't care less, as long as my machine does what I want it to do.
Fortunately, the legal system sees the matter differently, especially if they try to sell this thing in Europe.

The GPL has been successfully upheld in Germany, in particular -- Skype was recently punished there for trying to sell a VOIP phone without including source code.
Posted on Reply
#9
Unregistered
Stupid???

Linux is open source, Asus uses a Linux O/S with all the work coded by the community for free, some corporation then sells a laptop with the O/S pre-installed for profit without paying a dime!, at the very least it should release all newly written source code back into the community that produced the damn thing that took many years without profit!

Of course people are so used to stealing they just don't care any more.
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