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'DITisTV' violating XBMC's GPLv2. Refusing to share source
#46
(2014-07-20, 00:29)nickr Wrote: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_...Law_Center

This also brings up the question of who owns the copyright to xbmc's code.

/*
* Copyright © 2005-2013 Team XBMC
* http://xbmc.org
*
* This Program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
* it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
* the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
* any later version.
*
* This Program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
* GNU General Public License for more details.
*
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
* along with XBMC; see the file COPYING. If not, see
* <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
*
*/
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#47
Where is that from? I looked at all the files in the root dir of https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc and there was no statement of ownership. I didn't look at any of the actual source files.

Of course that doesn't cover all of the code. As an obvious example, the stuff imported from ffmpeg obviously isn't owned by XBMC Foundation. Even when one of those files is changed by an XBMC dev, the whole file doesn't become copyright to that dev.

Copyright in any original piece of code is owned by the author. How does it then become the property of the Foundation? Some projects insist that authors agree to an assignment of the author's code to the 'project'. This makes the whole business a lot easier to manage.

But if I do a pull request to XBMC's github code [1], how does the copyright in my changes become owned by the Foundation?

[1] not a likely scenario I admit!
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#48
All source code files done by "Team XBMC" contain that header.
Any third-party code still contains their original copyright header.
If there are parts of code done by third-parties used inside XBMC code the correct notice will be added. This only happens if those persons don't actually send a pull-request their selves.

Attributed code can be tracked through the commits done by a person. I think that when you merge code to https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc it will become part of Team XBMC code. (just a guess as i don't know about that part). I'm sure there are some articles floating the internet about that.

I do know that when you want to change from GPLv3 to GPLv2 for example you will have to track down every single person and receive his OK
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#49
Seems they already adjusted the website now claiming "The One, onze geheel eigen media interface" (The One, our entirely own media interface).

Don't they use some one else his skin? So again making false claims.
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#50
(2014-04-11, 09:33)Plebian Wrote: As far as my knowlegde goes on GPLv2, you're forced to share base and or customization to the system. I know they can sell it, but they still have to give out their source (right?)

Since people are sometimes confused by this, he needs to give out the source with the binary. i.e. to be compliant, you don't always need to provide it publically, as long as its provided to those that have received the binary. So if he has the source available in the package, that is enough. It is generally not enough to provide it on requests though, but there is some disagreement on this and I can't recall what the last lawsuit yielded (not xbmc lawsuit, something else).

Obviously, the receiver of the code has full GPLv2 rights and is free to make the source publically available.
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#51
To make an issue of this someone needs to:

1. Buy one

2. Establish that it contains GPL code - run a few of their binaries through the "strings" command for telltale text.

3. Request the source code.

Then assuming that comes up with a violation, the copyright owner needs to take action, which is likely to be expensive.

The history of GPL violation cases brought by the FSF seems to have resulted in contrition and a promise to comply. IE the offender s have been educated, and the problem given publicity.

EDIT: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-violation.html

Also report every violation you see. Small distros like this often contain busybox (a kind of swiss pocketknife of tools written for small systems) and the busybox authors have been quite prepared to sue, with the backing of the FSF.

(2014-07-23, 09:45)topfs2 Wrote:
(2014-04-11, 09:33)Plebian Wrote: As far as my knowlegde goes on GPLv2, you're forced to share base and or customization to the system. I know they can sell it, but they still have to give out their source (right?)

Since people are sometimes confused by this, he needs to give out the source with the binary. i.e. to be compliant, you don't always need to provide it publically, as long as its provided to those that have received the binary. So if he has the source available in the package, that is enough. It is generally not enough to provide it on requests though, but there is some disagreement on this and I can't recall what the last lawsuit yielded (not xbmc lawsuit, something else).

Obviously, the receiver of the code has full GPLv2 rights and is free to make the source publically available.
YOu don't need to provide the source at the same time as you distribute the binary:
Quote: 3. You may copy and distribute the Program (or a work based on it, under Section 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following:

a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,
b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

b) being the relevant provision.
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#52
(2014-07-23, 10:00)nickr Wrote: To make an issue of this someone needs to:

1. Buy one

2. Establish that it contains GPL code - run a few of their binaries through the "strings" command for telltale text.

3. Request the source code.

Then assuming that comes up with a violation, the copyright owner needs to take action, which is likely to be expensive.

The history of GPL violation cases brought by the FSF seems to have resulted in contrition and a promise to comply. IE the offender s have been educated, and the problem given publicity.

EDIT: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-violation.html

Also report every violation you see. Small distros like this often contain busybox (a kind of swiss pocketknife of tools written for small systems) and the busybox authors have been quite prepared to sue, with the backing of the FSF.

(2014-07-23, 09:45)topfs2 Wrote:
(2014-04-11, 09:33)Plebian Wrote: As far as my knowlegde goes on GPLv2, you're forced to share base and or customization to the system. I know they can sell it, but they still have to give out their source (right?)

Since people are sometimes confused by this, he needs to give out the source with the binary. i.e. to be compliant, you don't always need to provide it publically, as long as its provided to those that have received the binary. So if he has the source available in the package, that is enough. It is generally not enough to provide it on requests though, but there is some disagreement on this and I can't recall what the last lawsuit yielded (not xbmc lawsuit, something else).

Obviously, the receiver of the code has full GPLv2 rights and is free to make the source publically available.
YOu don't need to provide the source at the same time as you distribute the binary:
Quote: 3. You may copy and distribute the Program (or a work based on it, under Section 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following:

a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,
b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

b) being the relevant provision.

You are correct, it was a while since I read it and misremembered it as that part was not clear. Thanks for correcting me.
If you have problems please read this before posting

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Do not e-mail XBMC-Team members directly asking for support. Read/follow the forum rules.
For troubleshooting and bug reporting please make sure you read this first.

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#53
Quote:Ook las ik net het bericht dat Xbmx van naam gaat veranderen en als ik het goed gelezen heb ook softwarematige veranderingen aanbrengen. (zie link einde bericht) Als zij eenmaal zover zijn, geeft dit dan problemen met jullie kastje
A user asks if the upcoming changes to xbmc will affect theyre xbmc version they sell.

Quote:Hé Gabby! Ons kastje zal zeker geen problemen hebben met jou internetsnelheid, al is een kabelverbinding wel optimaler in jou situatie. De veranderingen bij XBMC zullen bij ons geen problemen opleveren. Wij werken met software gebaseerd op XBMC, dat door ons gefinetuned en gecustomized is
The answer is "No, as we work with software that is based on xbmc, finetuned and customized."

Another answer on another question :
Quote:Hallo Stefan. Bedoel je met de nieuwste versie 'The one'? Dit is namelijk een nieuw besturingssysteem en dient aangeschaft te worden op www.ditistv.nl. Of bedoel je de nieuwste versie 3?
They claim that "the one" version is a new operating system that needs to be purchased on the website.



So its based on. And not xbmc? Smile
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#54
(2014-08-03, 19:52)Komerad Wrote:
Quote:Ook las ik net het bericht dat Xbmx van naam gaat veranderen en als ik het goed gelezen heb ook softwarematige veranderingen aanbrengen. (zie link einde bericht) Als zij eenmaal zover zijn, geeft dit dan problemen met jullie kastje
A user asks if the upcoming changes to xbmc will affect theyre xbmc version they sell.

Quote:Hé Gabby! Ons kastje zal zeker geen problemen hebben met jou internetsnelheid, al is een kabelverbinding wel optimaler in jou situatie. De veranderingen bij XBMC zullen bij ons geen problemen opleveren. Wij werken met software gebaseerd op XBMC, dat door ons gefinetuned en gecustomized is
The answer is "No, as we work with software that is based on xbmc, finetuned and customized."

So its based on. And not xbmc? Smile
Biggest BS i have ever heard. I'm pretty sure they only fine tuned it (xbmc and rpi settings) and customized the skin, nothing more nothing less.
Still a XBMC distro.
I wonder how this name change and stuff around it will fold out for others selling XBMC this way?

(2014-08-03, 19:52)Komerad Wrote: Another answer on another question :
Quote:Hallo Stefan. Bedoel je met de nieuwste versie 'The one'? Dit is namelijk een nieuw besturingssysteem en dient aangeschaft te worden op www.ditistv.nl. Of bedoel je de nieuwste versie 3?
They claim that "the one" version is a new operating system that needs to be purchased on the website.

So its based on. And not xbmc? Smile
They tell users that it is there own software to confuse them and make them believe it's not XBMC but it is XBMC 100%
Simple logic, XBMC has been developing XBMC (and what ever name it have had) for the last 10+ years and you think they can build/develop a similar thing within 1 year?
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#55
I know they don't. I'm just watching this all happening with open mouth.

It makes me think a bit about the ancient morrocan carpets you can buy. Wich are pure fraud as they are just aged on purpose to sell as ancient.
Readin up on facebook it seems that users have restricted acces to theyre boxes + ditistv might actualy have remote acces!

Has anyone tested the ditistv versions for processes running?
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#56
I have seen their software and even have v3.6 and 4.14 on my HD and it is absolutely 100% plain vanilla Xbmc with a special skin. But once Xbmc is selected (deep inside their menus) then there is no difference anymore.

Just like TLBB has its own skin but that's all.
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#57
(2014-08-03, 20:28)Komerad Wrote: I know they don't. I'm just watching this all happening with open mouth.

It makes me think a bit about the ancient morrocan carpets you can buy. Wich are pure fraud as they are just aged on purpose to sell as ancient.
Readin up on facebook it seems that users have restricted acces to theyre boxes + ditistv might actualy have remote acces!

Has anyone tested the ditistv versions for processes running?
I rather think the users are incompetent rather then ditistv preventing access. If they build a backdoor to there systems it's even more bad then I thought but I doubt they did.
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#58
Well I gues its obvious they are targetting incompetent people as who else would overpay for something that simple. Also the way things go on the fb page points this out clearly.
I don't find any version so can't test. Do you have root acces with theyre "software"?

I'm not saying backdoors as in "evil trojans" rather then acces for the sake of support. (officialy that is).

But then again can people who spread so much lies and deception be trusted at the end of the day?
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#59
(2014-08-03, 21:10)Komerad Wrote: I don't find any version so can't test. Do you have root acces with theyre "software"?

Send you a PM where to find.
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#60
(2014-08-03, 21:36)antoniong Wrote:
(2014-08-03, 21:10)Komerad Wrote: I don't find any version so can't test. Do you have root acces with theyre "software"?

Send you a PM where to find.

Can you please also PM me too?

Thanks in advance!
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