GPL violation?

[magnusjjj]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vmlite.vncserver

Bought this. Actually worked. But its almost the exact same user interface and functionality, and almost exactly the same backend from what I can find. It has the same naming and interface for... well... anything really.

Decompilers spout garbage, no source available, no answer on contact link so far, but only been a few days. And I have no clue as to the history of droidVncServer. Has it ever been under a more permissive license? Anything else to think about?

[oNaiPs]

@magnusjjj thanks for your input. Indeed they are infringing, I contacted them over a year ago to no avail. I sent an email to [email protected], hopefully they will help with the case. Any other suggestions?

Thanks

[magnusjjj]

Send a DMCA takedown request to google, and ask them to freeze their developer account? DMCA takedown requests are evil, but in this case it seems fitting.

[magnusjjj]

https://support.google.com/legal/troubleshooter/1114905?rd=1/troubleshooter/1114905?rd=1

^--- Hopefully, that will get them to take it down. And, fingers crossed, getting it taken down might make them release the source :).

[magnusjjj]

I actually sent in a request now :).

[a-raccoon]

Not only freeze their accounts, but transfer their assets to yours. If they have 10 to 50k of sales at $10 each, they owe you $100,000 to $500,000 dollars.

[sfetome]

@magnusjjj @oNaiPs any open link that we can vote or do some thing?

[sfetome]

@oNaiPs i have checked you LICENSE text. it's GPL version 3，
BE NOTICED the GPLv3 is not new version of GPLv2, even not compatible in some way.
the short suggestion is changing license of your code to GPLv2.
GPLv2 is the classic GPL we normally refer to in my understanding.

for more detail, (i am not the specialist, if i got wrong, please tell me),
in this link, it looks the code thief can do that not to disclose code of there product.
http://www.ifross.org/en/what-difference-between-gplv2-and-gplv3

d) In contrast to the GPLv2, the GPLv3 clearly states that there is no requirement to disclose the source code in an ASP use of GPL programs as long as a copy of the software is not sent to the client. If the copyleft effect is to be extended to ASP use (→ When does independently developed software have to be licensed under the GPL?), the Affero General Public License, Version 3 (AGPL) must be applied that only differs from the GPLv3 in this regard.

again, to keep it open, please change licence to GPLv2 immediately.
as i said in issue #119, you can sell the app yourself or accept donation.

[Rondom]

Please don't spread misinformation.

You are mixing up the differences between GPLv2 and GPLv3 with the difference between GPL and AGPL (no matter the version). Whether one uses GPLv3 or "GPLv2 only" or "GPLv2 or later" is a question of patents, tivoization and code sharing/reuse.

The AGPL is to be used if you are release code and want service providers to share the code with their users when they use it in a network service (read for example cloud stuff but not only that). The paragraph on the page you linked only states the the GPLv3 clarifies this, i.e. ot that it has been any different with GPLv2! There are tons of web applications released under the GPL and you can run them as you wish, without having to provide source to your users. Anyways this is totally irrelevant, because an Android app is always distributed to the user and installed on their devices.

[magnusjjj]

@sfetome : I think you have had a small reading/understanding problem there :).

"In contrast to the GPLv2, the GPLv3 clearly states that there is no requirement to disclose the source code in an ASP use of GPL programs as long as a copy of the software is not sent to the client. "

When you install the app, you are obviously sent a copy of the software ;). Otherwise, there is nothing to install.

Plus, even if @oNaiPs changes the license now to gplv2, all of us already have a license to use the code under gplv3. We can even give that license to others. That only applies to the current source of course, and if @oNaiPs makes changes, those changes will only have the new license applied to them. But we can always opt not to use those changes.

Anyway. I am surprised that google hasn't responded to the takedown request i sent them. :E

[Jamie-Landeg-Jones]

I note, over a year later, it's still there. Is it a violation or not?

[magnusjjj]

It is, but google did fuckall about the report as far as I can tell, and no response on the contact emails.

[Jamie-Landeg-Jones]

Disgusting. Maybe the EFF should have a word with google...

[ramast]

I see the app still there but DroidVncServer has been removed from appstore,
Why?