Some doubts about GPL, licensing and the BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition phone

noahl · on March 18, 2015

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.

petersabaini · on March 18, 2015

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

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

bjackman · on March 18, 2015

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 · on March 18, 2015

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?

userbinator · on March 18, 2015

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

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.

maaku · on March 18, 2015

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

azinman2 · on March 18, 2015

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.

delonia · on March 18, 2015

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.

shmerl · on March 18, 2015

So where the proper ones can be found?

ohjesusthatguy · on March 18, 2015

I'm glad the copyright appropriation will be worked on in some unspecified in-the-future release, according to a less than one hour old anonymous YC commenter, instead of being taken care of ahead of the official release.

aaddaarrsshh · on March 18, 2015

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

worklogin · on March 18, 2015

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 · on March 18, 2015

I'm sorry.

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