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Re: [DRAFT] resolving DFSG violations



Michelle Konzack dijo [Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 12:10:48AM +0100]:
> Curently I am building a hardware where the parts cost arround 40US$ per
> device (@10.000) and using the same microcontroller with a  "big"  FLASH
> memory would mke this Hardware arround 5 US$ in  final  production  more
> expensive.
> 
> So for the end-users arreound 10 US$ or 8 Euro
> 
> Are you willing to pay arround 15-18% more for such hardware?

So probably the end result won't be shipping raw Debian in your
product - As you are not willing to release the firmware, Debian
cannot inlcude it. Yes, even if it is worthless without a $8000
compiler. Who knows? If the device is interesting enough and becomes
highly successful, somebody (i.e. the Debian project?) can decide to
pay $8000 for the compiler license and be able to fix bugs or enhance
your firmware? 

> Again:  ARE you realy willing to pay at least
>         10US$ or 8€ more for the hardware?

If sharing the source for the firmware is not an option to you, and
raising the price so the device can be self-sufficient without the
computer uploading a firmware to it, then... Well, your device won't
be natively supported by Debian. And that's not necesarily a curse! Of
course I'd like every device on Earth to be Debian-based, but
sometimes reality does not agree with my wishes.

> I mean, the I am trying currently servera hardware models since  I  need
> highly optimized one (for solar-Energie Systems) and there is nothing in
> production yet.  I am 100% free what to do and how I do it...
> 
> Since all of my software must run under GNU/Linux and is licensed  under
> GNU GPL version 3 I like to see, that my hardware/Software fit the  DFSG
> which mean, must run with "main".

Oh, here we have a problem. You are 100% free and want to use GPL3 -
So you are required to distribute the sources, the preferred form of
modification. If not even the input you give to the mighty $8000
compiler qualifies as source, then maybe the schematics you have on
the whiteboard do? You just cannot say "there is no source". That
would imply the firmware is a result of your computer's creativity -
and I'd seriously doubt it.

-- 
Gunnar Wolf - gwolf@gwolf.org - (+52-55)5623-0154 / 1451-2244
PGP key 1024D/8BB527AF 2001-10-23
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