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Netgear responds to open source criticism From the 'Bad PR' files:
Open source can be a double edged source for those that aren't careful to strictly adhere to the licensing terms. Case in point is networking vendor Netgear. Last week Netgear announced its RangeMax Wireless-N Gigabit Router, calling it an open source Linux platform. The problem is that according to critics, Netgear is not complying with the open source GPL license. It's a claim that Netgear is now responding too. For the record, I contacted Netgear on this issue on Oct 8th, they responded to me via email 26 hours later with a pointer to a newly posted message on the Netgear site. So, Netgear did not respond to my inquiry directly, though I tried (never a good sign and usually makes me wonder why they're afraid to talk to press?). PR gripes aside, this is what Netgear has now publicly posted on the issue of its alleged GPL violation. "Concern has been raised on the presence of binary modules in the pre-loaded NETGEAR firmware," Netgear's Som Pal Choudhury wrote in an open letter. "The factory-loaded firmware by NETGEAR on the WNR3500L router is there for those customers who simply want to use the router "as-is" with the features provided by the NETGEAR firmware. It is no different from the millions of other NETGEAR Linux routers we sell in the market. We do offer the GPL code on our websites for all customers to download, review, and even to modify it: something many of our development partners have already done."The issue, as first raised by gpl-violations author Harald Welte is that Netgear's Open Source router ships with binary-only kernel modules. Welte has noted that as such users can never update their Linux kernel to get the latest security fixes, but have to run vulnerable old kernel versions. "One would have hoped that Netgear did thoroughly study the Open Source market that they're trying to address," Welte wrote. "Apparently they either did not do that, or they chose to ignore the values/rules by which this community works, or they had somebody with limited understanding to advise them on this."Netgear disagrees. In Netgear's view they believe they have complied with the GPL (I personally don't see how they can claim that but hey, that's their opinion). "We understand that the open source community generally takes exception when factory loaded firmware written in Linux that is placed on routers or other hardware includes binary only kernels," Netgear's Choudhury wrote. "As it has been rightly pointed out, this has been a continuing saga between any company and the open source community. As for use of Linux kernel 2.6 on WNR3500L drivers, we are already working on it. Please stay tuned for more updates in the next few months."My personal opinion on this is pretty straight forward. If you're going to ship open source software you MUST comply with its licensing terms. Yes, Cisco's Linksys had some trouble with the GPL rule s too, but they've since corrected the situation. Rather than invite the animosity of the open source community,which only serves to fuel the FUD fires for proprietary vendors, I think Netgear really needs to come clean on this issue. They also clearly need (as Welte suggests) someone in their organization that understands the requirements of open source licensing. 0 TrackBacksListed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Netgear responds to open source criticism. TrackBack URL for this entry: https://swarm.jupitermedia.com/mt-tb.cgi/9061 11 CommentsLeave a comment |
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Were you able to find a link on Netgear's site for the GPL software? Just spent five minutes searching and came up empty.
Why do you think the do not comply with GPL?
because they're providing binary-only drivers and not their source, and the gpl license explicitly says that if you link a program with gpl'ed code, then that program becomes a "derivative work" from the gpl'ed code and must have it's source code available too.
I have see no information here that Netgear has violated the GPL. The have built their own closed-source drivers FOR USE IN the open-source kernel.
They are under no obligation to provide hardware drivers in an open-source format unless out of the goodness of their heart they decide to.
It is perfectly acceptable and GPL compatible to pursue this product model. Many other hardware manufactures do exactly the same thing, include NVIDIA.
Personally I wish they didn't, but it is their right to do so.
If you don't like their product solution, don't buy it and find an alternative that you do like.
So is the "issue" only that the factory firmware ships with binary-only modules but the router is still completely open to install whatever firmware one pleases on it?
Are other firmware distributions, openWRT, dd-wrt, etc required to use the binary-only modules to function?
If the hardware will be fully functional without any sort of closed binaries I really don't see what the problem is.
Fred said:
Were you able to find a link on Netgear's site for the GPL software? Just spent five minutes searching and came up empty.
Fred.. I found a link that might be a good place to start:
http://www.myopenrouter.com/
I followed the "Community" link at the bottom of NetGear's main site to get there.
Hope it helps! :)
I found it! Here we go folks.. The link to GPL & LGPL source-code for Netgear's products:
http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2649
Enjoy!
;)
The "problem" is the folks who want their cake and to eat it too.
There are *plenty* of "binary only" kernel modules out there; which may only have "stub" code that is GPL'd. Linus himself has said that's ok; but the GPL "purists" who think that anything that even "looks twice" at a piece of GPL'd code should also be GPL'd; continue to lambast those folks who distribute *their* code that way.
Personally, I consider kernel modules to be "loosely coupled"; at best. If the code isn't actually statically linked into the whole; if it uses published interfaces and calls rather than just branching, then it seems to me it's discrete enough to qualify as being it's own "product"; and not a 'derivative work' at all. It's more like the applications that run "on top" of the kernel; but just running within kernel space rather than "userland".
You guys are missing the main point here!
It complies(maybe) with GPL and other licences.
The main point is that Netgear says that it is "Open Source Router" and even website name is MyOpenRouter. And that is just plain lie!
It is no more open as for example Linksys WRT54GL. It is the same if I told you that my software is open source, but source code is not available :)
OK. ONE MORE TIME...With Feeling >>> >>> >>> >>>
The Link To GPL & LGPL SOURCE-CODE for Netgear's products:
http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2649
YES. You can download it. Use it. Change it. Re-compile it. Dooooo iiiitah. Do It Now!
Enjoy!
:) :) :)
Agree with Sheridan Hutchinson.
Give the company a break for god sake - when they are in fact doing something very good here. And according to my knowledge it's not a GPL-violation distribute closed binary .ko as you only need the kernel headers to compile them.
No, you cant upgrade your kernel without breaking the closed source-drivers but if you're knowledgeable enough to upgrade your kernel you're also familiar with the rules of the game.
There are two (2) projects that usually are the initiator of GPL-lawsuites and they are
1. Busybox
2. netfilter
That's when the hardware manufacturer has tampered (or not tampered) with the source without releasing those changes - in the end the manufacturer has always complied with the GPL-rules and they've always settled the case.
If a company wants to keep their source secret it's a much better solution to use a BSD-stack as F5 Networks does with their load balancer.
So, give Netgear a break will you