GPL code provenance fight breaking out on github, usual suspects involved

[Eric Appleman]

(Changing up the title since we've strayed)

https://github.com/thicklizard/Komodo_new_source/commit/341ce8bdfc86fcfad8b869c59f09f054cd81eca4
(read first)
https://github.com/markj338/KANGAROO-kernel/commit/da260aa723db1ecb89924db31010389c0731aeb8
https://github.com/MattCrystal/clucking-goose/commit/46a7a01e2561a356441b4701cd83d5388bbfb041
https://github.com/chad-g?tab=activity
https://github.com/ericd858?tab=activity
https://github.com/showp1984?tab=activity

Pay close attention to the comments (you might need to scroll down).

Chad was just caught kanging (stealing) showp's mpdecision CPU governor
for Android phones. Do note that Chad and his partner Eric Dye have zero
code on github yet confront others without providing source to back up
claims.

[Eric Appleman]

Post by Eric Appleman
(Changing up the title since we've strayed)
https://github.com/thicklizard/Komodo_new_source/commit/341ce8bdfc86fcfad8b869c59f09f054cd81eca4
(read first)
https://github.com/markj338/KANGAROO-kernel/commit/da260aa723db1ecb89924db31010389c0731aeb8
https://github.com/MattCrystal/clucking-goose/commit/46a7a01e2561a356441b4701cd83d5388bbfb041
https://github.com/chad-g?tab=activity
https://github.com/ericd858?tab=activity
https://github.com/showp1984?tab=activity
Pay close attention to the comments (you might need to scroll down).
Chad was just caught kanging (stealing) showp's mpdecision CPU
governor for Android phones. Do note that Chad and his partner Eric
Dye have zero code on github yet confront others without providing
source to back up claims.

https://plus.google.com/105084384299106728552/posts/JHVoPdsrxum

Chad's account of things in case I'm going to be accused of being
one-sided or accusing.

But again, no verifiable evidence and the source in question has been
removed. Remember, Chad deleted all of his public trees and most of the
discussion regarding his kernels is wiped from XDA. Even if he was the
author (and that's a big if), he's handling this very immaturely.

[Ralph Corderoy]

Hi Eric,

Post by Eric Appleman

Post by Eric Appleman
Chad was just caught kanging (stealing) showp's mpdecision CPU
governor for Android phones. Do note that Chad and his partner Eric
Dye have zero code on github yet confront others without providing
source to back up claims.

...

Post by Eric Appleman
But again, no verifiable evidence and the source in question has been
removed. Remember, Chad deleted all of his public trees and most of
the discussion regarding his kernels is wiped from XDA. Even if he was
the author (and that's a big if), he's handling this very immaturely.

Please only reply to these emails if you've something factually useful
to add. It's understood Eric is very biased against Chad because of
what's already happened. Because of that, we understand there's the
possibility that Eric is wrong and Chad is right. We do not need lots
of emails telling us that may be the case. I've only just reached
"moderation-queue zero"! :-)

Personally, I think some copyright holders who think they may have a
claim against Chad's actions actually do something legal about it
*off-list* and we hear the result some months down the line. By all
means ask for advice, legal assistance, etc., on the list, but let us
not argue the toss about something that we won't collectively agree on.

Cheers, Ralph.
Executioner.

[luke.leighton]

Post by Eric Appleman
removed. Remember, Chad deleted all of his public trees

if you can get the sha1 references out of somewhere (archive.org, or
anyone else) then you *might* be able to use "git fetch", up until the
time when a garbage-collect is run.

other than that it would be necessary to get github.com's active
involvement, which is probably a good idea as i'm sure they'd prefer
not to be up in court on secondary copyright infringment.

l.

[Neil Brown]

Post by luke.leighton
it would be necessary to get github.com's active
involvement, which is probably a good idea

It might lead to a quick takedown, but I'm not sure it is a good idea - personally, I am not a fan of actions against hosting providers or access providers just because it is possible to do, as it seems to be little but avoiding going after the real perpetrator for the sake of an easier target with a weak (at least in the EU and US) position.


Neil

-----
***@neilzone.co.uk | http://neilzone.co.uk

[Oliver Schinagl]

On 05/21/13 06:57, Eric Appleman wrote:
<snip>

Post by Eric Appleman
Do note that Chad and his partner Eric Dye have zero
code on github yet confront others without providing source to back up
claims.

The first bit is totally un-important to the issue. You don't need to
maintain your own git tree, to ask for source.

If I can download the binary to said tree, I can also request source.
That's it.

While I can sense the unfairness there, it's not a requirement.

oliver

[Eric Appleman]

Post by Oliver Schinagl
<snip>

Post by Eric Appleman
Do note that Chad and his partner Eric Dye have zero
code on github yet confront others without providing source to back up
claims.

The first bit is totally un-important to the issue. You don't need to
maintain your own git tree, to ask for source.
If I can download the binary to said tree, I can also request source.
That's it.
While I can sense the unfairness there, it's not a requirement.
oliver

Thank you for the reminder. While source can also be delivered through
tarballs or CD, Android kernels and roms move very fast, so git has been
by far the most practical means of compliance. The point I am trying to
make is that 99.9999999% of people working with Android opt for the
public git tree so source never needs to be requested. OEMs prefer the
zips and tarballs because their code is more static. The only time I've
ever requested and received a promise of source for an Android kernel
was when Imoseyon, the LeanKernel developer, was releasing public test
kernels on RootzWiki during the transition from Linux 3.0.y to Linux
3.4.y. His git tree wasn't ready since the merge was gigantic and I
certainly gave him the benefit of the doubt. Low and behold, he kept his
promise and the source was uploaded 2 days later. GPL satisfied as far
as I was concerned.

This experience runs counter to the accusations that I defend "GPL
violators" or even consider them my friends. I do care when Android
developers fall short of their obligations and anyone who would say
otherwise is being dishonest.

- Eric

[chris bunch]

Since Chad does not have any source available to the public so I can not
"prove" this fact to you, the code in question is definitely Chad Goodmans
code. He had it in the hands of the public MONTHS before anyone else
claims to have "invented" it. I know this because I had his kernel with
mpdecision before any other "developer" out theirs out and at that time
Chad repos were public. This is the very reason they are not anymore,
people kanging mr. Goodmans work and not giving credit, claiming it as
their own, and in turn saying Chad kanged them.

Post by Eric Appleman
(Changing up the title since we've strayed)
https://github.com/**thicklizard/Komodo_new_source/**commit/**
341ce8bdfc86fcfad8b869c59f09f0**54cd81eca4<https://github.com/thicklizard/Komodo_new_source/commit/341ce8bdfc86fcfad8b869c59f09f054cd81eca4>(read first)
https://github.com/markj338/**KANGAROO-kernel/commit/**
da260aa723db1ecb89924db3101038**9c0731aeb8<https://github.com/markj338/KANGAROO-kernel/commit/da260aa723db1ecb89924db31010389c0731aeb8>
https://github.com/**MattCrystal/clucking-goose/**commit/**
46a7a01e2561a356441b4701cd83d5**388bbfb041<https://github.com/MattCrystal/clucking-goose/commit/46a7a01e2561a356441b4701cd83d5388bbfb041>
https://github.com/chad-g?tab=**activity<https://github.com/chad-g?tab=activity>
https://github.com/ericd858?**tab=activity<https://github.com/ericd858?tab=activity>
https://github.com/showp1984?**tab=activity<https://github.com/showp1984?tab=activity>
Pay close attention to the comments (you might need to scroll down).
Chad was just caught kanging (stealing) showp's mpdecision CPU governor
for Android phones. Do note that Chad and his partner Eric Dye have zero
code on github yet confront others without providing source to back up
claims.

[Oliver Schinagl]

Post by chris bunch
Since Chad does not have any source available to the public so I can not
"prove" this fact to you, the code in question is definitely Chad
Goodmans code. He had it in the hands of the public MONTHS before
anyone else claims to have "invented" it. I know this because I had his
kernel with mpdecision before any other "developer" out theirs out and
at that time Chad repos were public. This is the very reason they are
not anymore, people kanging mr. Goodmans work and not giving credit,
claiming it as their own, and in turn saying Chad kanged them.

And you base this on his good will and words?

No, the answer is quite simple. He should have posted his patches on,
lkml or the like EVEN when developing the stuff. Get it peer-reviewed.
Get it logged. Have it accepted upstream possibly. Backport it
optionally to old kernels used by these android 'hackers'.

Mailing lists are dated, archived etc etc and can't be forged. Credit is
given where credit is due etc.

What's worse is, it appears these kids downloaded a bunch schematics to
build a racecar, put them in their build-o-mat, got an awesome racecar
and then fight over which decals are look better, what lightstrips are
better and then finally, claiming the entire design, slapping the
thousands of engineers who actually designed the car.

Post by chris bunch
(Changing up the title since we've strayed)
https://github.com/__thicklizard/Komodo_new_source/__commit/__341ce8bdfc86fcfad8b869c59f09f0__54cd81eca4
<https://github.com/thicklizard/Komodo_new_source/commit/341ce8bdfc86fcfad8b869c59f09f054cd81eca4>
(read first)
https://github.com/markj338/__KANGAROO-kernel/commit/__da260aa723db1ecb89924db3101038__9c0731aeb8
<https://github.com/markj338/KANGAROO-kernel/commit/da260aa723db1ecb89924db31010389c0731aeb8>
https://github.com/__MattCrystal/clucking-goose/__commit/__46a7a01e2561a356441b4701cd83d5__388bbfb041
<https://github.com/MattCrystal/clucking-goose/commit/46a7a01e2561a356441b4701cd83d5388bbfb041>
https://github.com/chad-g?tab=__activity
<https://github.com/chad-g?tab=activity>
https://github.com/ericd858?__tab=activity
<https://github.com/ericd858?tab=activity>
https://github.com/showp1984?__tab=activity
<https://github.com/showp1984?tab=activity>
Pay close attention to the comments (you might need to scroll down).
Chad was just caught kanging (stealing) showp's mpdecision CPU
governor for Android phones. Do note that Chad and his partner Eric
Dye have zero code on github yet confront others without providing
source to back up claims.