GP2X GPL Situation

Time for a quick comment on the GP2X GPL situation as I can see it getting out of control very soon if not checked.

This is a quick and not very well edited comment. I will clean it up during the day. It does not read well but what the hell, I got one too many snotty e-mails about the GPL today ;).

In response to numerous posts on the various GP2X boards and continuing grumbling regards GamePark Holdings release of the GP2X Linux Kernel (2.4.25 ARM derived), bootloader (U-Boot 1.0) and distribution tools (BusyBox) I thought I would take the time to put a quick post up with what is being done to resolve the situation in an amiable and responsible fashion.

With that in mind I ask people to consider what the lack of source is currently doing to personally hurt them, is the lack of the BusyBox port causing you sleepless nights, no, I did not thing so ;).

A lot of effort is going into resolving this and frankly all the shouting and stamping of feet is not going to really help. In fact it seems to be causing issues to bubble up that are not really issues.

Please, please have constructive debate, offer to help if you can but all this talk about suing GPH, injunctions and the like really has to take a step back. If you feel so personally aggrieved read and understand the GPL and the role that the owner of that source, copyright etc. plays in starting any enforcement of it.

So now for a bit of a statement of where I personally have got to regarding the source (and no, I am not the only one coaxing GPH).

Open source is really important to me and there is no way I would put a really substantial amount of time into backing the product of a GPL violator. I honestly believe this can be resolved and that GPH have full intention to comply with the licences of the components they have used to bring the GP2X to market. Just give us a little time to work things out and put fears to rest. The best way to enforce the GPL is with discussion and debate not threats.

Here is some background (my own views etc. etc.)

Also, please understand that I have nothing to gain by doing this and it is ‘on my own time’. Open2x is a project I created to work as a repository for this information and is not affiliated to MagicEyes or GPH.

Hint: I want NO more threatening e-mails; I am not tied in any way to GPH other then being a pro-active user. I am withholding nothing. I would see Open2x as proof enough of what I am trying to do.

Negotiating with MagicEyes to get them to release there full Linux Kernel source, U-Boot, distribution etc. etc. was a drawn out an delicate process including some checking of what is there IP, source review etc - This was resolved in a very agreeable fashion and I have nothing but respect for MagicEyes.
This also sets a precedent for GPH and addresses some of there nervousness (after all, they would be releasing MagicEyes source and until recently MagicEyes did not volunteer that source to non-partners, GPL aside MagicEyes provide GPH with the core chips used in the GP2X and no sane business would go out of there way to piss off there only core logic supplier, small delicate steps again).

What would GPH release?

GPH felt very pressured to get the unit out to early adopters as soon as possible with beta software on the device. This was a good thing (tm) ;-) as the device is out there and some of the things people are already working on are truly great (trust me).

The pressure on a small company to get the unit out in volume and fix up the firmware is immense and GPH/GBAX etc. have to get my thumbs up for having the balls to do it, people have put a lot on the line for this. I can testify to that.

GPH are also genuinely concerned so I am told about this possible Chinese clone unit (China, Korea and right and wrong seems a little grey these days) and view releasing the full source as giving the keys to the car away. Reassuring of GPH that this can be mitigated is going on as I write this.

One question I see a lot is what is GPH’s IP (Intellectual Property). It is actually quite simple as I see it, anything that is developed by them for the device that is not routed in a form of open source licence.

As it stands I believe this includes there launcher code, SD based DRM and USB driver code (implemented as user space apps or in silicon). Some of this may be released in time.

This does not include the Linux Kernel (currently NOT using loadable binary modules), U-Boot, BusyBox, Main Mplayer bits and GPL libraries that make up the SDK. They should be open.

The other big question is DRM, well DRM is part of the SD card standard for a start so anything with an SD slot can potentially use it, yes, this does include things like the Sharp Zaurus. DRM is there, it does not have to be used. GPH have stated publicly that they will only use the hardware DRM to protect commercial released published in conjunction with themselves. My understanding of the DRM is that it would not be a great deal of use for anything much else anyway.

GPH took the MagicEyes Linux distribution and somewhat customised this for use on the GP2X. Some of those changes are not the cleanest of hacks and GPH are working to clean up there code into a state where it is fit for release.

I feel this is fair and I for one am happy to work with them to that end. I would prefer to have GPH along for the ride rather then feeling pushed into a corner.

Trust me, if things stagnate then I will be the 1st person banging on there door but behind the scenes things are far from stagnant. In fact there going quite well.

Points of note:

The MagicEyes U-Boot source in Open2x’s CVS works on the GP2X as is, not that you want to flash to bootloader (You REALLY don’t).

The MagicEyes Linux distribution in Open2x’s CVS works on the GP2X without support for the SD/MMC hardware. You need to make a small hack to support the LCD, that is about it. Again there is not much point doing this other then an academic exercise (my reason for doing it).

John Willis