When hardware products reach end-of-life, companies should be forced to open-source the software

Comments

• ambitiousslab@feddit.uk ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Now, I’m not asking companies to open-source their entire codebase. That’s unrealistic when an app is tied to a larger platform. What I am asking for: publish a basic GitHub repo with the hardware specs and connection protocols. Let the community build their own apps on top of it.

  I agree with this. I think the most important thing is not necessarily the original company releasing the code (although that would be nice), but it being easy (and legal!) for hackers to reverse engineer and/or build on top of the platform.

  The irony is that, since most such products will have some GPL’d code in there somewhere, most products already basically have such a requirement, thanks to the section requiring complete corresponding source including installation instructions. Hopefully, the Vizio case will establish the precedent that users can take action against such companies.

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  • iloveDigit@piefed.social ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    For new products made going forward, they should have to release all the code, period. No good reason for keeping hidden security flaws

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• nocturne@slrpnk.net ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Toyota abandoned the infotainment system in my Tacoma. A few people have tried to create a custom ROM for it, but have stopped for fear of bricking their own.

  Because it was abandoned, I can no longer get map updates, I do get traffic updates.

  Currently there is no way to get Apple auto or Android auto onto it.

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• phoenixz@lemmy.ca ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  This, absolutely, yes

  We need to stop allowing manufacturers to force people to throw away well working products

  To add to that, it must be prohibited to make products that are designed to fail early

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• Korhaka@sopuli.xyz ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Yes. If the source is so important to them then they should have to continue supporting it.

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