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"You may not decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, attempt to derive the source code of any software or software components of the Matchstick software inclu

"You may not decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, attempt to derive the source code of any software or software components of the Matchstick software including the Matchstick SDK software." ...said the makers of a supposedly open software/hardware device. The Free Software movement needs a mechanism for dealing with heretics. I propose a holiday. Let's call it "Punch Free-software/hardware Posers in the Face Day". The inaugural event should be held on 9/30/2016. More than enough time for everyone to get the memo. Then if they get punched, it's their fault.

DannyBee 12y ago
This EULA is weird and has some drafting issues :) First, if there is any GPL/LGPL code in there, that term would be a license violation (and for GPLv2/LGPLv2, actually auto-terminate the license). This includes things like "glibc" . It's really hard to build a kernel space and userspace that doesn't require GPL/LGPL code, and works really well. I'm skeptical they did it (certainly, nobody else who produces streaming sticks does it). Second, it says "2. All source codes provided by Matchstick shall be granted to you under the Mozilla Public License (MPL) Version 2.0. You hereby agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the MPL 2.0 for any software and source code provided by Matchstick." This would also be highly problematic if it includes code under any other license. Plus, the last line, humorously, goes from talking about sourc e code, to saying you agree to be bound to MPL 2.0 for software and source code provided by matchstick. While likely a drafting mistake, given the EULA has no integration clause, i wonder what the effect would be.
- daveloyall 12y ago
  My guess is that Mozilla doesn't know about this.
  - smacktoward 12y ago
    Then they should probably read the EULA before promoting the project on Mozilla.org, no?
    - daveloyall 12y ago
      I hopped into the #b2g irc channel and mentioned this thread. A user told me that s/he has notified someone who might be able to do something about it. I guess they have a bug/ticket open somewhere which they use to track "brand use" issues. In my mind, the appropriate outcome is that the EULA be removed. It's obviously the work of someone attempting to cover their bases while not being knowledgeable about software licensing.
      - DannyBee 12y ago
        Not shocked. I've now been notified that there a bunch of fishy legal things about this project, it turns out the EULA is not the only issue.
        SlashmanX 12y ago
        Care to elaborate?
        DannyBee 12y ago
        I sadly, cannot. This is where the "i'm a lawyer with clients" part takes over.
        SlashmanX 12y ago
        No problem. I'm intrigued since people are asking about porting Popcorn Time for it and I'm wary of Rockchip's "history" with the GPL
      - DannyBee 12y ago
        Not shocked. I've now been notified that there a bunch of fishy legal things about this project, it turns out the EULA is not the only issue.
maxerickson 12y ago
Mozilla/Firefox OS aren't wrapping themselves in the glorious cloak of the "Free Software" brand, so you probably don't owe them any violence (at least, not along those lines). (seriously, take a look at the materials on their website. They don't go a lot further than calling it a (lowercase) open operating system)
- soapdog 12y ago
  except for the fact that the OS is open source and free and available right now at https://github.com/mozilla-b2g https://github.com/mozilla-b2g Also on https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Firefox_OS https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Firefox_OS which is the main page for Firefox OS development, in the very first phrase they say "Firefox OS is open source" If you use the boot2gecko source, you can ship whatever you want no obligations. If you want to call it Firefox OS then you need to enter a branding agreement with Mozilla. Boot2gecko is Firefox OS sans branding.
- daveloyall 12y ago
  As mentioned elsewhere on this page, this Matchstick device is not made by Mozilla. It's just a dongle running b2g (aka Firefox OS). My proposal was to pop the random hordes of "open hardware!! will post links soon!1" folks on Kickstarter in their collective mouths. :) Not Mozilla. I'm fine with them. In fact, it seems to me that the Mozilla folks aren't just wearing that cloak, they've putting a Free Culture lining in it and wearing it with pride. I repeat, I do not propose punching any Mozillans; I like them.
  - maxerickson 12y ago
    The point about them not being Free Software heretics appears to apply equally well to Matchstick. If they aren't actually part of the movement they can't be heretical (I guess if you wanted to stick with that heavy imagery you could call them blasphemers or something). I also stand by my assessment of Mozilla. They have much in common with "Free Software", but I don't think they 100% share the ideology (which was my intended meaning with the cloak statement, "to wrap yourself in an idea" is going past agreeing with it).
rasz_pl 12y ago
The "makers" of this device had this EULA imposed by Chinese ODM - company licensed by Rockchip to implement their SoC, company holding all the NDAs, all the 'secret sauce', and all the kernel sources that they WILL NOT release because they DONT GIVE A FLYING FUCK ABOUT GPL. Rockchip isnt a Linaro member. Heh, Allwinter is a group member, and even they dont give a duck about gpl and only release some sources with 6-12 months delay. Rockchip is hostile, all they do is take from open source community. BTW: Rockchip ODMs started spreading this cancer beyond Linux kernel. They hijacked XBMC now and distribute closed source fork with hardcoded support for their inhouse proprietary h.265 decoder http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=202924&pid=1795164#pid1795164 http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=202924&pid=1795164#... Quote from one of Chinese Rockchip ODMs: "i have no idea of GPL as it is Rockchip released this XBMC version for all factories, after confimed wtih our engineer, we tried to get the soure, but RK did not give it to us."

DannyBee 12y ago

This EULA is weird and has some drafting issues :) First, if there is any GPL/LGPL code in there, that term would be a license violation (and for GPLv2/LGPLv2, actually auto-terminate the license). This includes things like "glibc" . It's really hard to build a kernel space and userspace that doesn't require GPL/LGPL code, and works really well. I'm skeptical they did it (certainly, nobody else who produces streaming sticks does it). Second, it says "2. All source codes provided by Matchstick shall be granted to you under the Mozilla Public License (MPL) Version 2.0. You hereby agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the MPL 2.0 for any software and source code provided by Matchstick." This would also be highly problematic if it includes code under any other license. Plus, the last line, humorously, goes from talking about sourc e code, to saying you agree to be bound to MPL 2.0 for software and source code provided by matchstick. While likely a drafting mistake, given the EULA has no integration clause, i wonder what the effect would be.

daveloyall 12y ago
My guess is that Mozilla doesn't know about this.
- smacktoward 12y ago
  Then they should probably read the EULA before promoting the project on Mozilla.org, no?
  - daveloyall 12y ago
    I hopped into the #b2g irc channel and mentioned this thread. A user told me that s/he has notified someone who might be able to do something about it. I guess they have a bug/ticket open somewhere which they use to track "brand use" issues. In my mind, the appropriate outcome is that the EULA be removed. It's obviously the work of someone attempting to cover their bases while not being knowledgeable about software licensing.
    - DannyBee 12y ago
      Not shocked. I've now been notified that there a bunch of fishy legal things about this project, it turns out the EULA is not the only issue.
      - SlashmanX 12y ago
        Care to elaborate?
        DannyBee 12y ago
        I sadly, cannot. This is where the "i'm a lawyer with clients" part takes over.
        SlashmanX 12y ago
        No problem. I'm intrigued since people are asking about porting Popcorn Time for it and I'm wary of Rockchip's "history" with the GPL
    - DannyBee 12y ago
      Not shocked. I've now been notified that there a bunch of fishy legal things about this project, it turns out the EULA is not the only issue.

maxerickson 12y ago

Mozilla/Firefox OS aren't wrapping themselves in the glorious cloak of the "Free Software" brand, so you probably don't owe them any violence (at least, not along those lines). (seriously, take a look at the materials on their website. They don't go a lot further than calling it a (lowercase) open operating system)

soapdog 12y ago
except for the fact that the OS is open source and free and available right now at https://github.com/mozilla-b2g https://github.com/mozilla-b2g Also on https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Firefox_OS https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Firefox_OS which is the main page for Firefox OS development, in the very first phrase they say "Firefox OS is open source" If you use the boot2gecko source, you can ship whatever you want no obligations. If you want to call it Firefox OS then you need to enter a branding agreement with Mozilla. Boot2gecko is Firefox OS sans branding.
daveloyall 12y ago
As mentioned elsewhere on this page, this Matchstick device is not made by Mozilla. It's just a dongle running b2g (aka Firefox OS). My proposal was to pop the random hordes of "open hardware!! will post links soon!1" folks on Kickstarter in their collective mouths. :) Not Mozilla. I'm fine with them. In fact, it seems to me that the Mozilla folks aren't just wearing that cloak, they've putting a Free Culture lining in it and wearing it with pride. I repeat, I do not propose punching any Mozillans; I like them.
- maxerickson 12y ago
  The point about them not being Free Software heretics appears to apply equally well to Matchstick. If they aren't actually part of the movement they can't be heretical (I guess if you wanted to stick with that heavy imagery you could call them blasphemers or something). I also stand by my assessment of Mozilla. They have much in common with "Free Software", but I don't think they 100% share the ideology (which was my intended meaning with the cloak statement, "to wrap yourself in an idea" is going past agreeing with it).

rasz_pl 12y ago

The "makers" of this device had this EULA imposed by Chinese ODM - company licensed by Rockchip to implement their SoC, company holding all the NDAs, all the 'secret sauce', and all the kernel sources that they WILL NOT release because they DONT GIVE A FLYING FUCK ABOUT GPL. Rockchip isnt a Linaro member. Heh, Allwinter is a group member, and even they dont give a duck about gpl and only release some sources with 6-12 months delay. Rockchip is hostile, all they do is take from open source community. BTW: Rockchip ODMs started spreading this cancer beyond Linux kernel. They hijacked XBMC now and distribute closed source fork with hardcoded support for their inhouse proprietary h.265 decoder http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=202924&pid=1795164#pid1795164 http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=202924&pid=1795164#... Quote from one of Chinese Rockchip ODMs: "i have no idea of GPL as it is Rockchip released this XBMC version for all factories, after confimed wtih our engineer, we tried to get the soure, but RK did not give it to us."