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FSF sues Cisco over open-sourcing failures

updated 01:10 pm EST, Fri December 12, 2008

FSF sues Cisco over Linux

Networking giant Cisco Systems has been sued by the Free Software Foundation, a report reveals. Filing with the help of the Software Freedom Law Center, the FSF has accused Cisco of violating the General Public License under which the Linux operating system is distributed. Companies that want to use Linux can typically do so for free; the GPL stipulates, however, that any changes made for a Linux variant must be shared with the public.

The problem can be more directly traced to the Cisco-owned Linksys, which makes a number of products, such as routers, that rely on Linux. The FSF notes that it first attempted to warn Cisco about Linux issues in 2003, at which point the latter admitted mistakes and said it would try to solve them. Despite regular talks, however, the FSF alleges that Cisco has kept violating the GPL, leaving no choice but to file suit.

Should Cisco not settle out of court, the FSF is seeking injunctive relief and an injunctive ban on Cisco's Linux-based products, as well as damages, legal costs and any illicit profit Cisco has obtained. Cisco defends itself as a supporter of open-source software, and in fact claims to be "substantially in compliance" with the terms of the GPL.

 
Previous Comments

and

12/12, 01:46pm reply

OJ was substantially obeying the laws of Las Vegas, too. I mean, how many laws are on the books, and they got him for breaking less than a dozen!

testudo

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

-1

what are they violating

12/12, 04:19pm reply


Is LinkSys not distributing the latest changes they have made or something?

You can get the modified linksys GPL sources for their products right here:
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=LContentC1&childpagename=US/Layout&cid=1115416836002&pagename=Linksys/Common/VisitorWrapper

I'm not sure WTF the FSF is freaking out about.

DeezNutts

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2008

-1

Re: what are they

12/13, 11:22am reply

did it occur to you that those aren't the complete sources, or don't cover all the usage cisco has?

The FSF might be nut cases, but I seriously doubt they would go to the trouble and expense for a lawsuit if they weren't sure something was amiss. They aren't greenpeace, for goodness sakes.

LouZer

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2000

+3

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