[Tfug] GPL Worthless?

[John Hubbard]

On 09/07/2012 08:16 PM, Bexley Hall wrote:
> How many different tablets are on the market?  What percentage of
> them have an underlying GPL'd kernel?  How many of *those* have
> made their sources available?  Before you answer, do some research.
> I would be *thrilled* if you come up with *any* (hint:  I've been
> doing this, recently)

The kindle source is available to download [1]. The Nook Color is also 
available [2].  I'm not sure what percent of the market those two 
account for, but they are likely the most heavily modified beyond the 
plain andriod source available from Google [3].  Are there people out 
there who sell tablets but doesn't distribute the source? Yes there 
surely are.  Do they account for large swaths of the market? I doubt 
it.  The bigger vendors are likely following the letter (even if not the 
spirit) of the law because their legal department told them to.  The 
small vendors are probably flaunting the rules because most people have 
better things to do with their time than go after vendors only selling a 
few thousand tablets.
Bexley: Which tablet(s) that uses a GPL kernel are you unable to find 
the source for?


[1] http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200203720
[2] http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Terms-of-Service-NOOK-Color/379003278
[3] http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Terms-of-Service-NOOK-Color/379003278

-- 
-john

To be or not to be, that is the question
                 2b || !2b
(0b10)*(0b1100010) || !(0b10)*(0b1100010)
         0b11000100 || !0b11000100
         0b11000100 || 0b00111011
                0b11111111
         255, that is the answer.