Monsoon Multimedia admitted that it violated the GPLv2 (GNU General Public License version 2), and said it will release its modified BusyBox code in full compliance with the license.
I have always been skeptical of the GPL. In theory it seems good, but in practice I don’t see that it meshes well with sections 101 and 204 of the copyright act. Even so, the original complaint may well be a model for future legal action.
For those of you who need some background, Monsoon Multimedia has uses embedded Linux to build a HAVA DVRs (note: TIVO is also linux based) with with remote multimedia file serving capabilities. Because their boxes allow users to access access live and recorded TV content from broadband-connected laptops from any location, think TIVO + SlingBox (Timeshifting + Placeshifting) in one package, I would think that their legal troubles won’t stop with this GLP violation.
Filed under: Copyright, GPL/GNU/OSS, Infringment Cases
