NetFilter kernel subsystem developers through court achieved Conclusion of an agreement with Patrick Mchardy (Patrick Mchardy), the former NetFilter project leader, who for many years discredited free software and community attacks on GPLv2 violators resembling blackmail and undertaken for the purpose of obtaining personal enrichment. In 2016, Machardi was excluded from the main team of NetFilter developers in connection with the violation of ethics, but continued to preserve that its code is located in the Linux kernel.
Machardi brought the requirements of GPLV2 to the absurdity and for minor violations by companies using the Linux kernel in their products, requested large sums, not giving time to eliminate violations and presenting ridiculous conditions. For example, he demanded that manufacturers of smartphones send paper printing code for automatically delivered OTA updates of firmware or interpreted expression “equivalent access to code” so that the servers for the code must provide the download speed not lower than servers to download binary assemblies.
The main lever of the pressure in such proceedings was provided by the GPLv2 immediate review of the license from the intruder, which made it possible to interpret the non-compliance with GPLv2 as a violation of the contract, for which the court could have achieved monetary compensation. To confront such aggression that undermined the reputation of Linux, a part of the core developers and companies, the code of which is used in the kernel, made an adaptation initiative for the GPLV3 rules for the license revocation. These rules make it possible to eliminate the identified problems with the publication of code within 30 days from the date of receipt of the notification if the violations were revealed for the first time. In this case, the rights to the GPL license is restored and the license does not respond completely (the contract remains not disturbed).
peacefully resolve the conflict with McChadi failed and he stopped to communicate after an exception from the NetFilter’s main command. In 2020, participants NetFilter Core Team appealed to the court and in 2021 they made a conclusion with Machardi Agreements , which is defined as legally binding on execution and regulates any law enforcement actions related to the NetFilter / IPTables project code included The composition of the kernel or distributed in the form of individual applications and libraries.
In accordance with the Agreement, all solutions associated with responding to GPL violation and ensuring compliance with the requirements of the GPL license in NetFilter code should be taken collectively. The decision will be approved only if most of the major members of Core Team votes for it. The agreement covers not only new violations, but can also be applied for past proceedings. At the same time, the NetFilter project does not refuse to achieve adherence to GPL, but will adhere to principles actions oriented in the interests of the community and Providing time to eliminate violations.