PBXes - Print: RE: Block announcement for Gizmo Project

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--- RE: Block announcement for Gizmo Project (http://www1.pbxes.com/forum/threadid.php?threadid=1248135080)

Posted by i-p-tel on 21.07.2009 at 02:11:

Block announcement for Gizmo Project

Gizmo5, Inc. a VoIP carrier recently violated our copyright held for the Sipdroid application which we made open source under the GPL (GNU Public License).

Gizmo removed the copyright notice and published the software under their name, without making the modified source available (thus breaking the GPL, too).

We believe their action demonstrates highly abominable behavior disrespecting the work of software developers.

Please take notice, that we will start to block Gizmo's network from our servers, within the next 24 hours. We recommend to change your routing to other carriers as soon as possible, if you are a customer of that company and depend on their service.

Thanks for your support and understanding on this matter.

Kindest regards,
i-p-tel GmbH

Posted by pasqualei on 21.07.2009 at 22:06:

RE: Block announcement for Gizmo Project

Hi Pascal,

I understand that you must protect your intellectual property and have my sympathy. But please understand that blocking gizmo5 will penalize lots of people.

Do we need to worry about other providers and be prepared to stop using them on pbxes?

Thanks,

Pasquale

Posted by i-p-tel on 21.07.2009 at 23:02:

RE: Block announcement for Gizmo Project

No, this case is unique.

Michael Robertson, the face behind Gizmo5, seems to have a track record of such incidents. Our decision will depend on our users' feedback and his follow-up on this issue.

Posted by i-p-tel on 22.07.2009 at 21:12:

RE: Block announcement for Gizmo Project

The block has been put in place today.

There was no alternative because Michael Robertson is still refusing to provide a download link for the source code at an acceptable place, thus breaking the GNU License requirements of the open source software he is using.

Even a link placed on his support forum for a few days has been removed.

He makes it all look like an accident, but does not make any corrections.

Posted by i-p-tel on 23.07.2009 at 21:28:

RE: Block announcement for Gizmo Project

The missing link for offering the source code has now been added by Gizmo. So we removed the block.