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Samsung laptop shipped with Tiny Core Linux (GPL violation)

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David Timber:
I think Samsung violated GPL. Since TC is released under GPL, I thought I'd leave the emails I've sent to BusyBox and Samsung. Tried to find the email address of the developer but couldn't find any. If any of you is out there, please read and decide! "Let it slide" or take legal action.


I recently bought a Samsung laptop model NT500R5W-LD34A. It's a model shipped with "Linux (Console Only)" OS. According to the retailer, the OS is only for testing, but I haven't contacted Samsung to confirm that. I believe that Samsung violated GPL because ...

* They modified Tiny Core Linux(TCL) and do not provide the source code.
* BusyBox is shipped with TCL

* If not modified at all: 3(c) still not valid
* If modified: 3(b) violationSamsung launched a number of laptop models shipped with "Linux (Console Only)". I'm speculating that these models are also flashed with the same image.

TCL is modified
In the OS file system, there's a changelog '/ReleaseNotes.txt' and the logs are consistent with the behaviour of the OS (see the attached)

Version 0.01
12-07-16
* Modified to display large text and no graphics.
  This was in response to Samsung Issue 1, "Regarding resolution,
  Samsung want text screen with 31 lines."

Version 0.03
12-21-16
* Added copyright message at sign on.
  This was in response to Samsung Issue 3, "For the first screen
  after booting, only one or two lines copyright message is required."
* Modified to power off if "exit" entered at prompt.
  This was in response to Samsung Issue 6, "When “exit” is executed,
  they want system to reboot or shutdown."
...

Version 0.04
01-04-17
* Modified to always display prompt at boot-up.
  This was in response to Samsung Issue 9, "When system booting,
  copyright message is displayed and system is waiting for enter
  to displaying prompt. Prompt needs to be displayed without
  enter key."
...

Version 0.07
02-08-17
...
* Added some DOS-like commands, which can be used instad of Linux
  commands, including "type", "md", "rd", and "ren".

curaga:
Thanks for bringing this up. We do not have a legal entity or resources to go after them, but this violation sounds like script edits only, so providing source would not be that beneficial.

Shipping TC as a FreeDOS replacement is certainly nice, and a heavyhanded approach would just stop that. Something like the SFC's approach where they only try to help them into compliance would be best IMHO, but again, we have no such resources. Busybox folks do have some, so if you want to see a change here, please forward this info there.

NewUser:
If you would like to forward this to busybox, there is a contact link here:  https://www.busybox.net/about.html

NewUser:

--- Quote from: NewUser on September 07, 2018, 07:16:10 PM ---If you would like to forward this to busybox, there is a contact link here:  https://www.busybox.net/about.html

--- End quote ---
I was to quick.  Look here: https://busybox.net/news.html

PDP-8:
David - if everything checks out legally, I'd be very interested in getting one myself - at least in the US somewhere and maybe not a specialty shop in Korea.

Beyond the command-line, have you upgraded TC to a graphical environment on it, and does everything work?

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