rusefi.com

SECU-3 is another Russian-speaking open source ECU and they've got to the place where they have http://secu-3.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1026

Depressing rumors are that the project goes closed-source as a result? http://secu-3.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=1047 "19-01-2017 New software release" but https://github.com/ashabelnikov/secu3app "Latest commit 95c95f3 on Nov 25, 2016", I cannot figure our how to post on secu-3.org/forum/ - posting https://github.com/ashabelnikov/secu3app/issues/9 to clarify.

Funny thing is that under GPL everyone is actually allowed to sell compiled firmware as long as still referencing the authors? Not sure about how this works for hardware.

GPL is about maintaining the authors rights to the code. I have not see any violations yet. As far as I understand it, you can copy, sell, etc. However if you publish the source code you have to maintain the credit trail. Just because there is compiled firmware inside does not mean you have to release the source code, etc. I haven't looked into the nitty gritty of the hardware licence he used. So the first thing for this author to do, is to find if they are releasing source code, and if they are, then he should check if they are giving him credit. If they are not then he should fist contact them and request they include his name in the credits. If they refuse, then he can contact a lawyer, send cease and dist letter(s), probably pay a bunch of legal fees and start legal punishment to get them to include the credit(s).

In reality, like most GPL arm chair lawyers, he probably doesn't understand that massive GPL document. It's a complicated legal document which is hard to understand. Also enforcement of such a document is different than having a legal document to start with. Enforcement varies for different geographical areas, and such.

On a good note, the people who built those products are probably OK, as they don't need to release the code, and they do not need to pay him a royalty. So as far as I can tell, they are OK and well protected. However the community might poo poo them and decide not to buy the product, but I don't see any valid legal course of action that the companies who made those products should worry about.

However I'm also not an expert on this. I generally use a much more simple MIT licence, or sometimes even simpler. I really don't see the value in getting all hot and bothered about if someone gives me credit or not. It's not like that turns into bread in the mouth or anything like that. Credit is more likely to cause someone to TAKE bread from my mouth, than it is to GIVE bread to my mouth.

120 seconds of google and I know what we are talking about - http://www.edcatl.com/
Let's see if if I can kill it because why not.

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/1b-ignition-system/88889-s-ecu-lite-gets-smaller-brother.html
http://www.opelgt.com/forums/1b-ignition-system/86946-testing-s-ecu-lite.html
http://www.opelgt.com/forums/fuel-injection-mods/86314-s-ecu-very-preliminary-user-manual.html
http://www.opelgt.com/forums/1b-ignition-system/76722-introducing-s-ecu-lite.html
http://www.opelgt.com/forums/fuel-injection-mods/66177-custom-made-fuel-injection-ecu-16.html

Hmmm, I would suggest finding an open source law company and inquire with them. I thought that the OSS foundation was in to that kind of thing, but it looks like their focus has either changed or my memory is suffering from bit rot.

I see they released software which is run on a PC. I think this might be a violation, but I'm also not sure the nitty gritty. I think they might need to post the source code. I also believe that they don't have to do it publicly. I understand the legal crap means you have to request if from a specific person, and if that specific person refuses, then there is a violation. So first things first, find out how to contact that person, and contact a legal group.

However remember our legal systems are cash consuming groups, and fighting it is probably only going to result in lost money.

Paging @ since the same blancojp dude was interested in speeduino at http://www.avrfreaks.net/forum/feedback-avr-arduino-ecu

There are of course all sorts of non-legal things that could be done.

Does SECU also offer these in the distro cap, etc? SECU could offer the same thing, such that people can choose SECU brand vs other brand. Also SECU could make a bunch that are really poor quality, then sell them from a separate company, such that people try to get service out of the edcatl company.

As well LLC's are typically registers with a mailing address. Someone could get that address then go visit http://www.poopsenders.com/

Update: it was a false alarm. Juan Blanco, "Sr. Electrical Engineer", "Electrical Design Concepts Inc." is a well-known weirdo - he has actually approached me in early 2015, he was looking for someone to implement Tuner Studio integration for his clone

Well, Secu-3 has nothing to worry about - I am pretty sure the guy is currently trying to clone speeduino.

russian wrote: I am pretty sure the guy is currently trying to clone speeduino.

IIRC he did, but gave full credit to the developer. but other things were strange within that, like using some schematics (VR conditioner?) form others without mentioning, and a speeduino logo that looked very similar to the SECU one

KLAS wrote:IIRC he did, but gave full credit to the developer

Not on opelgt forum. On opelgt he is now "developing" a new product which is not SECU and uses TunerStudio.

rusefi!

russian wrote:

KLAS wrote:IIRC he did, but gave full credit to the developer

Not on opelgt forum. On opelgt he is now "developing" a new product which is not SECU and uses TunerStudio.

yes, i've read that. but with speeduino he was reasonable fair and sold original PCB copies and his own designs based on that as speeduino based.
seems he wasn't able to stand critics regarding delivery and he stopped offering his PCBs, but others jumped in and offer PCBs, beside Josh

KLAS wrote:seems he wasn't able to stand critics regarding delivery and he stopped offering his PCBs

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/1b-ignition-system/88889-s-ecu-lite-gets-smaller-brother.html#post1196433

What is this board from his yesterday's announcement? That's not rusEfi since no voltage dividers.

russian wrote:

KLAS wrote:seems he wasn't able to stand critics regarding delivery and he stopped offering his PCBs

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/1b-ignition-system/88889-s-ecu-lite-gets-smaller-brother.html#post1196433

What is this board from his yesterday's announcement? That's not rusEfi since no voltage dividers.

i meant his speeduino PCBs, don't know what he is offering now. but looking at his store it seems he fully concentrates to Opel cars

are we talking about this guy?
http://georgiafuneralcare.com/juan-p-blanco/

matt wrote:are we talking about this guy?

Yes, that must he him - that's his town.

hmm.. last year i got my speeduino 0.4 bare board from him.
condolence from me.