| > It isn't even clear that Vizio would be able to comply with GPL enforcement, since they largely just OEM TVs built by AmTran in Taiwan and don't do much more than slap a logo on it. They should've looked better at their contract, then. It's not the consumer's task to make sure these companies and their suppliers stick to their licenses. If their suppliers ship software that's not compliant (i.e. the vendor doesn't follow GPL's requirements) then Vizio is not allowed to ship them either. If they can't comply with the license, they shouldn't be allowed to be sold in jurisdictions where the GPL is considered legally binding; after all, they are violating copyright. Any damages from their vendors' malpractices can be resolved in a separate lawsuit if Vizio wants to hold them accountable but you can't hide behind your vendors to sell illegal wares. As GPLv3 states: > All rights granted under this License are granted for the term of copyright on the Program, and are irrevocable provided the stated conditions are met. If they can't or won't release the GPL source code, they can't legally ship the software as they haven't met the requirements for their license and if they do, authors of the GPL'd code could sue them for copyright violations. In fact, this paragraph could bring them into even hotter water: > However, if you cease all violation of this License, then your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated (a) provisionally, unless and until the copyright holder explicitly and finally terminates your license, and (b) permanently, if the copyright holder fails to notify you of the violation by some reasonable means prior to 60 days after the cessation. > Moreover, your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated permanently if the copyright holder notifies you of the violation by some reasonable means, this is the first time you have received notice of violation of this License (for any work) from that copyright holder, and you cure the violation prior to 30 days after your receipt of the notice. In other words, if copyright holders notify them of their violation and Vizio doesn't act in a timely manner, copyright holders could permanently retract their GPL licensed code from Vizio. Should a particularly important Linux developer choose to do so then that could effectively deny Vizio the right to ship Linux on any device it sells (to areas where GPL is upheld, such as the USA or Germany). |