3DR Solo is NOT 'Open Source', 3DR Violating GPL licensing

[3DR Solo User]

I encourage all of you to request a copy of the GPL source code as required by the 3drobotics "Open Source" licensing. You will find that unfortunately 3DR staff is unable to abide by their open source commitments. Solo is hardly "Open for Development". As a developer I am finding that I am unable to navigate the open source parts of Solo as 3drobotics will not make them fully available. 

 

As a founding member of Drone Code Foundation I find this to be disgusting. http://3drobotics.com/3dr-announces-launch-dronecode-foundation/ “Dronecode will allow companies to participate in UAV development in a more formal way,” wrote 3DR CEO Chris Anderson.

 

There has been a bit of hand waving to make it *appear* as if they are Open Source, but they have not actually been able to comply by the standards of open source software. http://3drobotics.com/open-source-policy/

 

As it stands now, at the very least 3drobotics is violating GPL (likely a few other licenses as well). http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-violation.html The "SoloLink" computers are using Yocto linux and gstreamer components that have not been properly shared back to the community. 

 

Upon my initial request for the GPL Open Source I was told: "Unfortunately the SOLO is not open source, so we cant provide you with any information""

 

Despite the initial response I was eventually subsequently told (via Facebook) that all parts of the system (including the root password) were indeed open and on github or the 3dr website. As a quick test to validate that was wrong, I tried once again to hunt for the root password in the place it is said to reside by 3dr staff: https://github.com/3drobotics/ardupilot-solo/

 

"published in our open source page on our website"

 

Oh really? I am not seeing it. Why should I have to email you for it!? 

 

Until recently (after I complained) the email "open-source" address bounced because it was non existant... 

 

Dually noted is the fact that the 3DRBUS is not documented publicly *yet* (short of to a few folks on a private Facebook group) http://3drobotics.com/solo-open-development/  They say 3DRBUS is there "...so that kickstarter projects, academics and businesses can easily integrate their own hardware", yet no one knows how to connect to it? #SeemsLegit. Why was I *sold* on this feature of the platform when it was not even ready for public consumption in a *supported* fashion? The only source of info is on a "mods" site on Facebook that warns you may likely void your warranty by using the information contained within. 

 

This image was shared with the Solo Caviar Club on Facebook. 

 

GPL violations should be taken seriously. Some people do care, "Open Source" IS more than a sales pitch. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gpl-violations.org

http://www.infoworld.com/article/2893695/open-source-software/vmware-heading-to-court-over-gpl-violations.html

 

Several folks do this properly, there is no reason 3DR can't. 

http://www3.jvckenwood.com/english/download/gpl/

http://www.leapfrog.com/en-us/legal/open-source.html

 

For example, you can go to Sony's web site and download all of the GPL-licensed code for their products. Way to go! http://oss.sony.net/Products/Linux/common/search.html

 

Please hold 3drobotics accountable for properly open sourcing the components on this page:

http://3drobotics.com/open-source/

 

Anything listed as GPL you should be able to request a .tar.gz file be distributed to you via email, FTP, or physical cd, etc. You may be charged for distribution, but 3dr MUST provide the open source to you, or they are in violation of the GPL. 

 

"Please contact us at [email protected]<script cf-hash='f9e31' type="text/javascript"> /* */</script> for any additional information on accessing source code for any open source components in any of our products."

^---- Try it some time... I dare ya. You won't get very far!

 

Given that 3DR is using Yocto linux on the SoloLink, I suggest they read this: 

"Binaries Considered Dangerous"

https://www.yoctoproject.org/blogs/davest/2012/binaries-considered-dangerous

 

3dr, your actions violate the GPL license agreement. Fix it! Fix it fast! 

 

Remember the terms of the GPL: any time you redistribute binary code licensed with any version of the GPL, you also need to redistribute all of the sources which are affected by the GPL as well as the build scripts.

 

"There are murmurs that the SoloLink will be open sourced but it's 100% confirmed nor is a timeline clear yet.” - http://diydrones.com/xn/detail/705844:Comment:2027186

^---- this is unacceptable from a GPL standpoint. 

 

(the irony!) Consider using the Yocto project, as Beth Flanagan has been adding a number of features to Yocto to help with GPL compliance. https://lwn.net/Articles/598371/

 

This would also make for some good reading for 3DR 

A Practical Guide to GPL Compliance

https://softwarefreedom.org/resources/2008/compliance-guide.html

[LePawel]

Dayum, a 1st-hand topic.

Sad to see another company taking the "Open-source, gib us kudos" approach while not delivering in the end.

[qwertywarrior]

GPL is a damn joke no body bothers enforcing it.

look at the number of phone companies that dont release kernel sources

[LAwLz]

GPL is a damn joke no body bothers enforcing it.

look at the number of phone companies that dont release kernel sources

They don't? As far as I know, all the big ones do. Not all parts of Android are under the GPL though, which is why some parts (quite a lot of parts of manufacturer skins and apps) are closed source.

[linuxfan66]

GPL is a damn joke no body bothers enforcing it.

look at the number of phone companies that dont release kernel sources

At least those guys don't pretend they are what they arent...

[NinjaTitan]

Yea this is pretty sad, as a builder it isn't open source for the sake of open source, you sometimes really need to dive in and redo sections of the code with what you (or others) have come up with to improve the flight experience. 

 

Not cool to say open source just as a marketing feature, and thats all it was as a shot against DJI, who straight up have a locked down implementation. 3DR just wanted good will with saying "oh yea we are open source" because the entire industry knows that many aren't happy with how locked down DJI FCs and software is. 

[qwertywarrior]

They don't? As far as I know, all the big ones do. Not all parts of Android are under the GPL though, which is why some parts (quite a lot of parts of manufacturer skins and apps) are closed source.

There are many that do this. samsung (especially Exynos socs) and HTC are examples of a company that either delivers the kernel sources a year late or never.just google (  samsung/HTC kernel source petition )  people at xda had to fight hard just to get something from those bastards.Sony is one of the few that quickly give us sources

 

an example of company that design socs actively try to not give people "all" the  kernel sources is  Allwinner

https://linux-sunxi.org/Main_Page

 

heck they were cought red handed taking ffmpeg libVP62 and obfuscating it to hide that they were using it

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/linux-sunxi/78MbtijKraY/cZSxI_59sg4J

[3DR Solo User]

For companies like that we thankfully have https://sfconservancy.org

 

 

Conservancy Announces Funding for GPL Compliance Lawsuit VMware sued in Hamburg, Germany court for failure to comply with the GPL on Linux

http://sfconservancy.org/news/2015/mar/05/vmware-lawsuit/

[3DR Solo User]

I found out today this wasn't a first either... 

 

http://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=6952

"3D Robotics took OpenTX, modified it, kept the name (which is forbidden by the GPL) and didn't provide the source code anywhere (again forbidden). No donation of course, even if they raised 40M$ in funding."

 

​Given this is two weeks old... and IRIS+ was released last year... https://github.com/3drobotics/3drtx