Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

VMware Sued for Ripping Off Linux Kernel Source Code

posted by n1 on Friday March 06 2015, @10:19AM   Printer-friendly
from the lawyers-already-won dept.

"gewg_" writes:

El Reg reports:

Linux kernel developer Christoph Hellwig has sued VMware in Hamburg, Germany, over alleged violations of the GNU General Public License.

Hellwig's suit, which is backed by New York advocacy group the Software Freedom Conservancy, alleges that VMware's proprietary ESXi hypervisor products use portions of the code that Hellwig wrote for the Linux kernel, in violation of the terms of version 2 of the GPL.

"In addition to other ways VMware has not complied with the requirements of the GPL," the Conservancy wrote in a blog post on Wednesday, "Conservancy and Hellwig specifically assert that VMware has combined copyrighted Linux code, licensed under GPLv2, with their own proprietary code called 'vmkernel' and distributed the entire combined work without providing nor offering complete, corresponding source code for that combined work under terms of the GPLv2."

This isn't the first time Hellwig has made such claims. He first accused VMware of violating the GPL in 2006 via the Linux Kernel Mailing List, even threatening to sue. It now seems that the proverbial other shoe has finally dropped.

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
VMware Sued for Ripping Off Linux Kernel Source Code | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 28 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by Arik on Saturday March 07 2015, @12:47AM

    by Arik (4543) on Saturday March 07 2015, @12:47AM (#154014) Journal
    "We do not decide to give code back to software because it is GPL, instead we just don't allow people to use GPL'd works in ways that would, even potentially, obligate us to give code to a third party."

    Good, then it's working as it should. If you are not willing to assume the obligations, you should not use the code, and you are not the intended recipient of the code. The intended recipient is that startup that is about to eat your lunch by offering your customers a better deal. And the sooner they do that the better.
    --
    If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +2  
       Insightful=1, Informative=1, Total=2
    Extra 'Informative' Modifier   0  
    Total Score:   3