search

qmk / qmk_firmware

Open-source keyboard firmware for Atmel AVR and Arm USB families
https://qmk.fm
GNU General Public License v2.0
17.76k stars 38k forks source link

Wireless tri-mode boards + lack of source code #24085

Open tzarc opened 2 weeks ago

tzarc commented 2 weeks ago

TL:DR; Vendors who submit PRs whilst not providing full sources for all of their shipping boards will be put on hold until source code for all violating keyboards are provided.

If QMK identifies any licensing violation, all current and future PRs from that manufacturer will be put on hold until sources are provided. QMK's license requires full disclosure of source code for any firmware which is based on QMK, includes any part of QMK, or derives from QMK in any way. This source code disclosure is not negotiable and is automatically agreed to by any designer when they choose to use QMK.

Given the recent ramping-up of Chinese vendors disregarding QMK's license, QMK now actively chooses to prevent merges when violations are found.

Vendors may rectify the situation by providing full source code for their boards, even if it's in their own fork of QMK Firmware.

Current list of vendors who need to provide source code before any new PRs will be considered:

Royal Kludge has issued a bunch of PRs recently with significant ambiguity as to whether or not submitted keyboards are tri-mode wireless or not. So far there has been insufficient evidence supplied stating "no", they're wired-only boards -- comments on PRs when querying this fact have been ambiguous at best.

Additionally, with the fact that Royal Kludge is currently distributing VIA definitions for tri-mode keyboards based on QMK here -- including the rk839, also known as RK-R65, which shares the Product ID 0xE453 listed in PR #23559, we can only assume that Royal Kludge is submitting wired board definitions to QMK in order to satisfy VIA's requirement that keyboards must exist in QMK's master branch, with no intention to supply source code for wireless boards as per QMK's licensing requirements.

As of the posting of this issue, QMK is putting a hold on all PRs from vendor ID 0x342D until all sources are made available for the corresponding QMK-based boards listed on the above page (inclusive of wireless bindings where relevant):

Additionally, the VIA definitions on the same page also list the following combinations which also need full sources provided, including wireless:

image image

tzarc commented 2 weeks ago

For clarity, the vendor ID is Westberry Technology, which is also in use by Epomaker, KiiBOOM and others. There is sufficient evidence that these manufacturers are all subcontracting out to the same third-party firmware provider - @sdk66 seems to be listed as maintainer for all.

Manufacturers other than Royal Kludge are also going to be put on hold for this reason -- the third-party firmware provider must supply source code for all QMK-based boards.

tzarc commented 1 week ago

mmd added to the list of vendors who now require source code disclosure before any future boards are merged.

Two of the three boards listed on their site (http://www.i-game.tech/qmkjpxl) are tri-mode and are seemingly based on QMK:

image image image

drashna commented 1 week ago

Qwertykeys, owlab, neo appear to be selling QMK+via compatible keyboards with tri-mode https://www.qwertykeys.com/pages/fw

on each page with tri-mode wireless keyboards, even with tri-mode selected:

All PCBs support VIA and the wired features are based on QMK.

tzarc commented 1 week ago

Regarding Qwertykeys, all links to JSON are to VIA firmware json definitions, thus either fully or partially based on QMK and thus subject to the QMK license.

image image image image image

owlab-git commented 1 week ago

Qwertykeys, owlab, neo appear to be selling QMK+via compatible keyboards with tri-mode https://www.qwertykeys.com/pages/fw

on each page with tri-mode wireless keyboards, even with tri-mode selected:

All PCBs support VIA and the wired features are based on QMK.

Hi. Owlab has not sold any product that uses qmk-based trimode PCB. The only trimode device, which is voice mini, is bases on a proprietary firmware. As for Qk and neo products, our trimode solutions are provided by 3rd party solution designers and they are not cooperating at this moment. We will strive to negotiate and see if we can work out a plan to fulfill our responsibility.

tzarc commented 1 week ago

BBB Keyboard now on the list, see screenshot on #24131.

Epomaker commented 4 days ago

Hi, thanks for the help and tracking. We are actively communicating with the 3rd party vendor for opening source code. According to what they state, they may need around a month to solve this since legal regulation may be involved. We will diligently follow up on this matter and find a way to meet the obligation.

tzarc commented 4 days ago

Hi, thanks for the help and tracking. We are actively communicating with the 3rd party vendor for opening source code. According to what they state, they may need around a month to solve this since legal regulation may be involved. We will diligently follow up on this matter and find a way to meet the obligation.

Thank you for your update!