Is this a violation of Copyright/License?

[Michael Sweet]

Rick Richardson wrote:
> Is this a violation of Copyright/License?
> 
> http://www.qms.com/support/current_printers/mc2530dl_sup.htm#Drivers
> 
> *  This filter is modified from CUPS 1.15 sample filter rastertohp.c

Distributing a binary CUPS driver (without source) is, by itself,
not a violation since we changed the licensing of the cupsimage
library to allow for that.

However, if the code is based on our rastertohp.c sources and they
are not providing source code for the derived code, then that *is*
a license and copyright violation with the corresponding penalties.

The COPYING file (GPL) in the RPM would seem to indicate that the
driver is being provided under the GNU GPL, and the i386 RPM does
reference a source RPM, but there is no source RPM on the FTP server.

Since the FTP server *does* provide source code for the other Linux
drivers, I'm assuming that this is just an oversight for now, and
the Konica support person is just not aware of the different
licensing used with the Linux drivers...

> ----- Forwarded message from "Tech Support: KMPS" <support at bpus.konicaminolta.us> -----
> 
> Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2006 09:24:58 -0800 (PST)
> From: "Tech Support: KMPS" <support at bpus.konicaminolta.us>
> To: Rick Richardson <rick.richardson at comcast.net>
> Subject: RE: Re: KONICA MINOLTA SupportMail (#8856-59879086-5812)
> 
> Dear Rick Richards
> 
> Thank you for contacting us.
> 
> Modification of any code is not supported as with ANY H/W or S/W modifications made by the consumer.
> Code for driver manipulation will not be placed on the FTP site for download
> 
> Please contact the Konica Minolta Printing Solutions Customer Support Center if you have additional questions, problems, or issues with your printer.
> 
> Thank You,
> 
> Customer Support Team
>  (T-923561)
> KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC.
> Email Address: support at bpus.konicaminolta.us
> Corporate Web Site: http://printer.konicaminolta.com/
> Online Buying Source: http://www.q-shop.com
> Online Answer Base Support: http://printer.konicaminolta.com/support/casebase/index.html
> Support Phone Number:  1-877-778-2687
> Support Hours:   7:00 am - 7:00 pm Central Time, Mon - Fri
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rick Richardson (rick.richardson at comcast.net)
> Sent: Dec 1, 2006 8:42:32 PM
> Subject: Re: KONICA MINOLTA SupportMail (#8856-59879086-5812)
> 
> On Fri, Dec 01, 2006 at 05:44:03PM -0800, Tech Support: KMPS wrote:
>> Dear Rick Richardson,
>>
>> Thank you for contacting us.  I am unsure of what you are asking for, this particular printer driver is run through ghostscript which acts as a translator for it.  Any alterations would be made through ghostscript as several people have done already.  Please refer to the link below.
> 
> I am asking for you to put up the SOURCE CODE for your driver, as
> this is GPL source code.
> 
> Second request.
> 
> Please read this from your RPM if you don't understand...
> 
> /usr/share/KONICA_MINOLTA/mc5430DL/COPYING
> 
> -Rick
> 
>>  T-923561
>> KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A., INC.
>> Email Address: support at bpus.konicaminolta.us
>> Corporate Web Site: http://printer.konicaminolta.com/
>> Online Buying Source: http://www.q-shop.com
>> Online Answer Base Support: http://printer.konicaminolta.com/support/casebase/index.html
>> Support Phone Number:  1-877-778-2687
>> Support Hours:   7:00 am - 7:00 pm Central Time, Mon - Fri
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: server at fusionpointmedia.com
>> Sent: Nov 29, 2006 3:42:25 PM
>> Subject: KONICA MINOLTA SupportMail
>>
>> Submitted online printer.konicaminolta.net
>>
>> FORM submitted at 11/29/2006 3:37:33 PM
>>
>> Name: Rick Richardson
>> Email From: rick.richardson at comcast.net
>> Product: magicolor 2530DL
>> Release/Firmware:
>> Serial Number: 11111111
>> Operating System: Linux
>> Connection: TCP/IP
>> First Email (y/n): Yes
>> Description:
>> Printer Driver for Linux
>> Version: 2.0.0 Size: 1M Date: 26-Sep-06
>>
>> This is GNU Public License.  But the source code is not online.
>> Please fix this so people with AMD 64-bit and PPC can make their own from the source code.
> 
> --
> Rick Richardson rick.richardson at comcast.net http://home.comcast.net/~rickrich1/
> Linux printer driver for HP CLJ 2600n       http://foo2hp.rkkda.com/
> Linux printer driver (KM 2430 and HP 10xx)  http://foo2zjs.rkkda.com/
> Linux tools for geocaching                  http://geo.rkkda.com/
> 
> I prefer three holes.
> 
> 
> 
> ----- End forwarded message -----
> 
> 


-- 
______________________________________________________________________
Michael Sweet, Easy Software Products           mike at easysw dot com
Internet Printing and Document Software          http://www.easysw.com