Best places to report a GPL violation?

[vendion]

A while back a friend and I investigated a IPTV box that he found out was running a modified Linux and the company refused to release documentation and source code on their modifications upon request for them. Even after reading the GNU GPL v2 they still refused, we did a nmap -o scan on it and we figured that once it got connected it would try and update, we figured that this would be a good way to catch if it is running GNU core utilities or Busy box. I have the output of both and upon request I will email or PM the anyone due to attachments not being allowed here. We tried reporting this to GPL Violations website but we have yet to hear from them. Anyone have a better idea of who to get in contact with, or anything to try?

[Chrysantine]

What IPTV box would this be? (I'm interested mainly because I work on the field)

Incidentally, I'd say this is a bit of a grey area because unless you own the box itself, as opposed to renting it from your ISP/Telco/DTV provider, they would only be required to release the source code to the company you're renting the box from.

Also they might not be running a "modified" Linux in the practical sense, because they may be running a box standard BusyBox package with their own Middleware - which they of course would have no obligation to give to you.

[DenverD]

> A while back a friend and I investigated a IPTV box that he found out
> was running a modified Linux and the company refused to release
> documentation and source code on their modifications upon request for
> them.

i'm not certain, but i think they only have to release the code to you
*IF* you purchase their IPTV box...have you done that? and did they give
you a copy of the licenseL under which they provided you the software?

--
DenverD (Linux Counter 282315)
A Texan in Denmark

[vendion]

The company that is behind it is Neulion/Skyangel (not sure what is the companies sure name is). We did buy the box, it was $200, and my friend worked in tech support for the company, which is how he found out that they were using Linux in it. Then when he asked for the source code and documentation all they did was laughed at him. That is when he printed out the GNU GPL v2 and had them read it, then when he asked again they fired him. Also when we got it and when we opened it there was no software license, but it had one license basically that you can't take it apart, backward engineer it, etc.

[Chrysantine]

Never heard of it hence I doubt it's a big player.

They could've licensed much of their platform from another provider as well - there are dozens of these cheap IPTV boxes out there - Aminos, Kreatel/Motorola, a ton of Chinese copycat companies etc.

[DenverD]

> The company that is behind it is Neulion/Skyangel

i google on that and i assume you live in the USA...if you friend wants
to press the company (if he feels he was unjustly/illegally fired) he
should look up an attorney in the local area (same state as the company)
to chat with about his potential courses of action...usually, the first
30 minute session is free....but ASK! and arrive with supporting
documents (employment contract, letter of termination, links to GNU/GPL,
etc)

as for who might want to prosecute the company for (apparently)
violating the GNU/GPL i don't know..

well, heck...apparently you didn't search the net for your answer prior
to asking here.....see the first of google's 36,000 hits for the string
reporting violations GPL

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-violation.html

where i think you will find all your answers about how to report the
(supposed) violation..

and, tell your friend that it is not always smart to mess where you
work...even if you ARE right....

--
DenverD (Linux Counter 282315)
A Texan in Denmark

[vendion]

Well they are not big, it is a local company, yes I am in the USA (Location: Cleveland, TN USA). On top of the GPL Violations site, we also email a couple of people at GNU, the most we got from them was a email address to a lawyer and an apologie about my friend losing his job. I did do a google search looking up info and places to report violations to, I just asked here because I didn't know if there was a better place to go to. The lawyer that we were referred to has yet to write back to us.

[enderandrew]

I'd also contact Groklaw and maybe even send in a Slashdot submission. Just watch a small company get flooded by the Slashdot effect.

[vendion]

Thanks for the advice we will try and get in touch with Growlaw, as for slashdot I'll see if my friend has an account there and if so I'll let him do that.

[glen_a_stewart]

Neulion now posts their GPL code at NeuLion - Internet Television Technology Innovators (IPTV) - GPL Resources