On Nov 25, 2003, at 09:29, Joachim Breitner wrote:
Company B produces some kind of Sweets. Because the packaging is not very large, they put a note on it "for a descriptions of the ingredients, mail us this way and we will send them to you". Then they sell or give away (doesn't matter) some sweets. Can't I then rely that the note on the packaging is correct?
Yes. For one thing, they sold you it. When they did that, they created a contract, and part of the terms were that you could request the nutrition information. Even lacking that, you could demand it because, by law, they must provide the nutritional information.
What if I chose their product because their firmware was GPL, and the competitor's product wasn't?
If you can argue the GPL firmware --- and thus the expectation of source --- is part of the purchase contract, you may be able to sue for breach of contract. I think it'd be a stretch, unless it had been advertised on the box or other prominent place.
Sure, if they sell the product based (at least in part) on having GPL drivers, yet refuse to provide any source, I think you'd have a case against them for false advertising.
But certainly not copyright infringement. And I don't think Atmel has advertised GPL drivers.