近日，有关华硕eeePC的报道非常多，但是现在传出消息称，华硕eeePC违反了GPL协议。一些linux的忠实拥趸认为，华硕的eeePC没 有包含安装的Linux发行版Xandros的的源码，而且该笔记本的设计使得该款电脑不能便利的安装其他发行版，但是，从市面上的消息来看，eeePC 的用户们并不是太重视。

　　华硕的eeePC上市之初，得到的非常好的支持，大家都在惊叹Linux将在桌面消费i市场取得长足进步，但是很多Linux的追随者认 为，eeePC使用的基于Debian发行版的Linux发行版Xandros，并不是他们理想中的Linux发行版，因为他们和微软签订过类似于 Novell和微软达成的协议，其中包含了部分专利保护。

　　但是最近不断传来负面消息，最近有位美国的用户在其Blog上写道，他购买了一台Eee PC，作为给自己的生日礼物。但在分析这台PC的底层Xandros Linux 操作系统时，比夫利发现一些专利硬件和软件给他带来了阻碍。他决定进一步分解软件，最终发现“asus_acpi”内核模块由Linux 2.6.21.4版本修改而成。比夫利的做法在GPL的许可范围之内。

　　华硕对于Linux 2.6.21.4进行修改并不违反GPL，但该公司并未按照GPL的规定，发布修改后的代码和保留原有模块的归属(名称、版本和作者)，而且删除了 “asus_acpi”的所有注释。比夫利试图通过华硕网站获得修改后代码，但他最终发现，网站上1.8GB的源文件只包含一些内核头文件，以及一系列. deb文件，其中一些文件甚至没有在安装后的Xandros Linux操作系统中出现。

　　这并不是华硕第一次违反GPL规定，早在2004年，该公司的WL-500g无线路由器就因未公布源代码而违反了GPL。在华硕WL-500g 中，包含了一个Linux内核和netfilter/iptables。也许很多公司认为违反GPL并不要紧，但软体自由法律中心最近针对 Xterasys和High-Gain Antennas提起的民事诉讼将为它们敲响警钟。

　　华硕的麻烦可能并不只是违反了GPL。比夫利认为，华硕Eee PC质保规定中的附加条件可能违反了美国《商品质量保证法》。华硕规定，如果经过非授权人员维修或修改，或者质保封条被破坏，Eee PC将失去厂家保修。由于Eee PC只提供了一个SODIMM内存槽，如果用户升级内存，必然会破坏质保封条。因此按照华硕规定，用户将无法自己升级内存，这样的规定无疑无法令人接受。

　　Members of the Linux community have complained that the hot new sub-notebook from Asus, the eeePC, may have violated the spirit of the Linux General Public License (GPL). Some Linux advocates claim the eeePC has not included required source code with the installed Xandros Linux distribution and does not easily enable users to install another distro. However, there are indications that eeePC fans probably don't care.

　　Related stories

　　The Asus eeePC has been hailed widely as abreakthrough product that could finally succeed in markedly increasingthe penetration of Linux in the consumer computing marketspace.However, some Linux purists are upset that the eeePC uses Xandros, aDebian-based distribution which charges license fees and has a similarpatent protection agreement with Microsoft to the one signed 12 monthsago by Novell.

　　However, the latest complaint has more to do with the modication of aparticular module of the underlying Linux kernel concerned withmanaging the hardware interfaces of the eeePC. The module asus_acpi(ACPI - Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) was found by Javadeveloper Cliff Biffle to have been modified so that it works with theeeePC.

　　As Mr Biffle says in his blog, this would be fine except that Asus appears not to havefollowed the rules required by the GPL when making such modifications.Namely, they haven't distributed the source code for the modifiedmodule, nor have they attributed the changes to an author or given thenew module a version number or name. Mr Biffle alleges that Asus alsoappears to have attempted to hide what it was doing by removing allreferences to asus-apc.

　　Another more fundamental concern raised by Mr Biffle is that the Asussource code archive for the eeePC allegedly does not contain the actualsource code for the version of Xandros running on the eeePC.

　　As Mr Biffle says: "ASUS has posted a 1.8GB ZIP file on their websitethat they claim is the sources, but it's not -- it contains a few .debs(not even the versions that ship on the machine) and some kernelheaders."

　　Another concern raised by Mr Biffle is that warranty void seals havebeen placed over the eeePC RAM upgrade and mini-PCI-Express slots. Thismeans if eeePC owners want to upgrade their computer's RAM they have toget Asus to do it. Mr Biffle claims that this violates US warranty lawswhich prohibits manufacturers from forcing customers to buy additionalservices and products from that company in order for the warranty to behonoured.

　　While members of the Linux community are starting to echo Mr Biffle'sconcerns in the blogosphere, it appears to have done little to dampenenthusiasm for the eeePC in the wider community.

　　Most consumers are not concerned about Xandros' dealings withMicrosoft, whether they can run Ubuntu on the eeePC or if they canaccess Xandros source code. They just want a machine that works.

　　However, the issue highlighted by the latest revelations concerning theAsus eeePC and the GPL signals a growing rift developing between Linuxpragmatists such as Xandros and Novell's Suse, and Linux purists suchas Red Hat and Canonical-funded Ubuntu.