

Some doubts about GPL, licensing and the BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition phone - DarkUranium
http://mer-project.blogspot.com/2015/03/some-doubts-about-gpl-licensing-and-bq.html

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noahl
This appears to actually be an issue with the kernel, which I believe is the
same as the kernel in the Android version of the device. Therefore, unless I'm
missing something, the title is misleading - this is actually an issue with
Mediatek's Linux kernel modifications, which applies to Android, Ubuntu, and
anyone else who tries to make a Linux-based phone with Mediatek hardware using
Mediatek's official kernel patches.

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petersabaini
Here's a statement from Canonical[1]; they're assessing the situation and plan
to release sources next week.

[1] [https://lists.launchpad.net/ubuntu-
phone/msg11543.html](https://lists.launchpad.net/ubuntu-phone/msg11543.html)

PS: disclosure: I work for Canonical, albeit not on phones

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bjackman
This is surely more of a Mediatek/BQ issue than an Ubuntu one. Regardless,
Canonical are supposed to be on the side of software Freedom, and it's on
their shoulders to make Mediatek sort this out.

~~~
Brakenshire
I was reading recently about the struggles of Fairphone to open up their
hardware so that other operating systems could be installed - Sailfish,
Ubuntu, Firefox etc. The impression which emerged was that the people placing
hardware orders had really quite limited power to affect this kind of
behaviour, unless they are a really large player. What do you think Ubuntu can
do?

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userbinator
Mediatek is known for being "gongkai" with respect to licensing etc., as do
the majority of Asian companies. A good explanation of that ecosystem is here:

[http://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=4297](http://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=4297)

You can find datasheets, schematics, and various other bits of info on their
chipsets in various Chinese sites, but if you ask MTK they'll never officially
give them to you.

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maaku
That's fine when it's your own stuff. Here they are pirating the Linux source
code, however.

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azinman2
This is the reason you won't buy an Ubuntu phone? Really?

Wouldn't be high on my priority list, let alone a "normal" user.

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delonia
The author of Mer is unhappy with Ubuntu and this looks more like an attack
than a constructive post.

MediaTek is now contributing directly to the Linux kernel. Those header files
are from 2010. It's just an issue of updating them.

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shmerl
So where the proper ones can be found?

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aaddaarrsshh
Well that's sad, Ubuntu phone was the only good thing. Android is boring.

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worklogin
That is a truly awful blog layout. So much whitespace, and what appears to be
around a 40 character line limit. I see the point is made once the license is
pasted in a few times, but still frustrating.

For all that, the post has a valid question about how an open phone can have
such messages in its source code.

~~~
worklogin
I'm sorry.

"What a truly poor design". Perhaps awful was too mean.

