[mythtv-users] www.d1.com.au

[Stef Coene]

On Thursday 07 April 2005 13:42, dean collins wrote:
> Actually I found out about them after doing some research on cablecard.
> I've had a chat to the company and they tell me that there software is
> 20-50% better than anything else available on the MythTV platform
> because of the amount of independent development they have done.
>
> What I am trying to understand is what rights they have to sell software
> that has been developed from the Myth TV platform.
Why should they not be able to do so ?
Mythtv is software released under the GPL license.  If they take the mythtv 
source and change something, they have to release the changes under the GPL 
license.
They may sell Mythtv, but if you get the binary's from them, they have to give 
you the option to get the source.  A link to an ftp site is enough (some 
argue they can also send a printed version of the source).

They may add extra functions like a plugin as long as they don't use the 
mythtv source for there work.  They may not link against the mythtv library 
(this is a tricky one).  If the library is released under the LGPL, the are 
able to do so (from http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/why-not-lgpl.html):

The GNU Project has two principal licenses to use for libraries. One is the 
GNU Library GPL; the other is the ordinary GNU GPL. The choice of license 
makes a big difference: using the Library GPL permits use of the library in 
proprietary programs; using the ordinary GPL for a library makes it available 
only for free programs.

So, as long as you can get the source under the GPL license IF you buy a 
mythtv based box from them, there is no problem.


Stef