Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> ShowMyPC won't show GPLed source code
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | Compiled to run on Windows PCs, the latest version of the ShowMyPC
> | binary is 3.53, but the only source code available on the download page
> | at SourceForge is the 2.6 version.
> `----
>
> http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=42239
>
So, these people have taken two major Linux apps/utilities, wrapped it in a
bit of Windows goo and failing to keep to the GPL under which they took the
ssh and vnc source.
Trouble is that this sort of thing is going to happen more and more, so this
one has to be hit over the head quickly. http://www.showmypc.com are making
their money from hosting, but they are using the ssh/vnc to pull in users.
The big question is, who will do the hitting?
I bet you both socks that there isn't anything extra, other than changing to
the Windows socket system and adding a VB front end. Maybe that is why they
can't show their source code, because there isn't anything to show, unless
a few pictures of a gui builder are relevant.
Maybe it isn't necessary to do anything, surely even Windows users wouldn't
be daft enough to click on one of those direct 'exe' buttons on showmypc's
web page, then use that software to open up your PC to other users,
possibly with this unknown showmypc inbetween you and them.
No, surely Windows users wouldn't ..... no Rob stop it they couldn't be that
daft .... erm? ..... could they?
In the end though, how are we going to actually deal with this stuff, who's
coffers are we to dig into when someone violates the gpl. Someone has to
test the water some day, will be interesting when it is discovered that in
some countries ignoring the gpl is ignored by their courts and in others it
is a serios business threatening crime.
We may well find software with a Linux logo rubbed off and replaced with a
two humped camel logo coming back from two humped camel countries as
commercial goods.
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