linux-kernel - Re: mea culpa on the meaning of Tivoization (was: Re: Dual-Licensing Linux Kernel with GPL V2 and GPL V3)

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Message-ID: <20070618005041.6c51a368@the-village.bc.nu>
Date:	Mon, 18 Jun 2007 00:50:41 +0100
From:	Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>
To:	Alexandre Oliva <aoliva@...hat.com>
Cc:	Ingo Molnar <mingo@...e.hu>, Daniel Hazelton <dhazelton@...er.net>,
	Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Greg KH <greg@...ah.com>,
	debian developer <debiandev@...il.com>, david@...g.hm,
	Tarkan Erimer <tarkan@...one.net.tr>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Chris Friesen <cfriesen@...tel.com>,
	Bernd Schmidt <bernds_cb1@...nline.de>,
	Robin Getz <rgetz@...ckfin.uclinux.org>,
	Rob Landley <rob@...dley.net>,
	Bron Gondwana <brong@...tmail.fm>,
	Al Viro <viro@....linux.org.uk>
Subject: Re: mea culpa on the meaning of Tivoization (was: Re:
 Dual-Licensing Linux Kernel with GPL V2 and GPL V3)

> > In practical terms it does since a recall/replacement in the event of
> > rule changes is a bit impractical
> 
> Indeed.  But that's not a legal requirement, it's an economic reason.

Cynical Economists would argue 'legal requirements' are just changes to
the cost of the various economic options. Sometimes when I look at
Microsoft's approach to various cases it seems they think that way too.

>   denying the user of the computer the freedom to run modified
>   versions of the Free Software in it, by not sharing information as
>   to how it could be accomplished.

That's a nice definition but one I can see being sort of abusable
depending how you read it. We head ever more into the disposable computer
era where as a vendor putting the code on ROM is cheap and upgrades don't
matter (throw it away get a new one).

I can tell you how to upgrade it ("you can't") yet I as the manufacturer
can issue new units with modified code so I still control it even though
it is meant to be "free"
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