[Replicant] [PATCH] Remove nonfree binary firmware data.

[Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli]

On Sat, 09 Mar 2019 11:28:22 +0100
Fil <fil.bergamo at riseup.net> wrote:

> Il 03 marzo 2019 17:36:07 CET, Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli
> <GNUtoo at cyberdimension.org> ha scritto:
> >
> >> This removes some hex-encoded binary-only files
> >> that have no license at all, thus being nonfree.
> >In that case the licenses is the GPLv2.
> 
> Oh, good to know! Is it because they're included in the Linux tree?
My assumption was that, since the files have no copyright header and
that the copyrights are stated in the COPYING file in the top directory
that would make them GPLv2.

But I've looked at the other files in the same directory, and
beside huge warranty disclaimers, we have the following:
>  Cypress does not authorize its products for use as critical
> components in life-support systems where a malfunction or failure may
> reasonably be expected to result in significant injury to the user.
> The inclusion of Cypress� product in a life-support systems
> application implies that the manufacturer assumes all risk of such
> use and in doing so indemnifies Cypress against all charges.
> 
>  Use may be limited by and subject to the applicable Cypress software
>  license agreement.
This looks really borderline:
- "Cypress does not authorize its products for use as critical
   components in life-support systems": what "its product" means is not
   clear and whether or not this is legally binding is also not clear.
- "Use may be limited by and subject to the applicable Cypress software
   license agreement.": here there is a "may", so it's not clear either.

So I think that it would be better to either remove all of that, and
verify that everything still work fine, or if that's not easy to do, ask
a for legal advise on this issue.

Denis.
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