> Hi,
>
> SplashTop is an extension of BIOS that runs on the Linux kernel and has been
> distributed by ASUS on certain high-end motherboards and laptops since
> October, 2007. In May 2008, ASUS announced that it will ship SplashTop on
> *ALL* its motherboards. The problem is that ever since SplashTop's inception
> ASUS has been infringing on the copyright of Linux kernel contributors.
>
> SplashTop's so-called source code
> (
http://www.splashtop.com/download3.php?token=1bfb156d0cd5fef5df4a43ad2b46a531)
> contains a few patches to the Linux kernel but not the whole, compilable
> modified kernel source code as the GPL requires. This clearly constitutes a
> copyright violation.
>
> I haven't bought any of the motherboards or laptops containing SplashTop, but
> ASUS may have left out the obligatory notice on boxes and/or manuals
> informing the recipients that the product contains GPL code and where that
> source code can be obtained. If they indeed left out the notice, that
> constitutes another violation of the GPL and consequently of copyright law.
>
> Another product that likely violates the GPL is Hyperspace, which is marketed
> by the infamous proprietary PC BIOS maker Phoenix. Even though Hyperspace
> clearly runs Linux and has been reported to do so in the press, Phoenix
> doesn't even mention the word Linux or the GPL on its website
> (
http://www.phoenix.com/en/Products/Browse+by+Products/Phoenix+HyperSpace/default.htm),
> and certainly doesn't provide any source code. I am not sure what
> motherboards Hyperspace is distributed on, but I would expect that they also
> fail to mention Linux, the GPL and the availability of source code. This
> again violates the GPL and the copyrights of Linux kernel contributors like
> yourselves.
>
> I urge you to uphold your copyrights and protect the rights of Free Software
> users by making unscrupulous companies like ASUS and Phoenix respect the
> conditions set out by the GPL and give back their improvements in the form of
> source code. And if they refuse, sue them in court! Some of the improvements
> to Linux that they try to illegally keep secret would really help distros in
> areas such as hardware support and extremely quick boot time.
>
> Thanks, Stan
