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> If you're someone who has a shitty Bluetooth light bulb running a version of GNU/Linux, the person who has given you that device has taken away your software

> If you're someone who has a shitty Bluetooth light bulb running a version of GNU/Linux, the person who has given you that device has taken away your software freedom How? You don't have a right to modify the device you purchased. You don't have a right to manufacture a clone of the device and run your patched code on it. The vendor can happily decline patches from you. So can Linus. All you will have is the right to inspect code they used and learn from it or reuse it in a lightbulb you choose to manufacture that doesn't violate some other IP the original vendor has on the original bulb. There is absolutely nothing about the GPL that grants you any particular freedom regarding the specific light bulb you purchased. If it sucks, it will continue to suck.

drdaeman 10y ago
> You don't have a right to modify the device you purchased Actually, at least in some jurisdictions, you do. What you don't have is an obligation that device vendor helps you - unless they took some obligations to do so (and GPL is one). But it's entirely another story that they had chosen to use GNU or Linux bits in their software.
semi-extrinsic 10y ago
> You don't have a right to modify the device you purchased. You don't have a right to manufacture a clone of the device and run your patched code on it. Yes. In fact, isn't this exactly why GPLv3 has the anti-TiVoization clause? Because TiVo under GPLv2 were entirely in their right to deny user-modified GPL-licensed software from running on their hardware.
__david__ 10y ago
> How? You don't have a right to modify the device you purchased. I absolutely have every right in the world to do whatever I want with any device I own (baring things like tweaking WiFi to violate FCC rules). Why would you even say that?
- karma_vaccum123 10y ago
  Of course you can violate your EULA in your own home and get away with it...but you are still violating your EULA and that has absolutely nothing to do with linux or Linus or the GPLV2 anyway
- serge2k 10y ago
  They don't have to help you, and can actively prevent you from attempting to modify the device.
cyphar 10y ago
> You don't have a right to modify the device you purchased. Under GPLv3 you have the right to modify the device you purchased if the manufacturer (or the person you bought it from) has the same ability. Linus doesn't like the GPLv3 for what appears to be I-dont-care-about-user-freedom reasons, which is why only parts of the kernel are under GPLv2-or-later. But that's the main reason why I make all of my projects GPLv3, so that users are protected in this instance as well.

drdaeman 10y ago

> You don't have a right to modify the device you purchased Actually, at least in some jurisdictions, you do. What you don't have is an obligation that device vendor helps you - unless they took some obligations to do so (and GPL is one). But it's entirely another story that they had chosen to use GNU or Linux bits in their software.

semi-extrinsic 10y ago

> You don't have a right to modify the device you purchased. You don't have a right to manufacture a clone of the device and run your patched code on it. Yes. In fact, isn't this exactly why GPLv3 has the anti-TiVoization clause? Because TiVo under GPLv2 were entirely in their right to deny user-modified GPL-licensed software from running on their hardware.

__david__ 10y ago

> How? You don't have a right to modify the device you purchased. I absolutely have every right in the world to do whatever I want with any device I own (baring things like tweaking WiFi to violate FCC rules). Why would you even say that?

karma_vaccum123 10y ago
Of course you can violate your EULA in your own home and get away with it...but you are still violating your EULA and that has absolutely nothing to do with linux or Linus or the GPLV2 anyway
serge2k 10y ago
They don't have to help you, and can actively prevent you from attempting to modify the device.

cyphar 10y ago

> You don't have a right to modify the device you purchased. Under GPLv3 you have the right to modify the device you purchased if the manufacturer (or the person you bought it from) has the same ability. Linus doesn't like the GPLv3 for what appears to be I-dont-care-about-user-freedom reasons, which is why only parts of the kernel are under GPLv2-or-later. But that's the main reason why I make all of my projects GPLv3, so that users are protected in this instance as well.