I am writing as a member of the Debian project, which distributes a version of Linux. The project is attempting to resolve the licencing of firmware used with Linux. The following may require attention by your legal department.
Linux includes a driver and firmware which are listed as copyright of Tehuti Networks and licenced under the GNU General Public Licence (GPL). Thank you for supporting Linux and free software. Unfortunately, applying the GPL to the firmware is problematic, because you distribute it in binary (or equivalent) form, and not the source code that your programmers used to create it. The GPL states that anyone redistributing a work that it covers must also offer to distribute the source code. This means that strictly speaking no-one outside Tehuti Networks is allowed to distribute the firmware, which I assume was not your intent. Please can you clarify the licence for the firmware, and preferably issue a new licence that clearly allows Debian and others to distribute the firmware. Ben. -- Ben Hutchings -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
