MG Software now available for download

[jamakr4]

MG has now publicly released their software for the MG4

Open-Source

www.mgmotor.de

I think this happened because of their software lawsuit.

 

[dave99]

be interesting to see whats in there, you have to contact them for the source. I suspect it will be just the changes they have made to any open source software, I'd be surprised if there is anything meaty in there.

 

[ajs]

It looks like they're providing source only for the already published open source components, and none of the source for components they've developed themselves.

 

[leonkernan]

Has anyone received a copy of what they’re providing?
I’m not in the UK or EU so I’m not sure they’d let me have it.
The UK site has a list of components and there are a couple I’m very keen to see.

https://www.mg.co.uk/opensource

 

[jamakr4]

Has anyone received a copy of what they’re providing?
I’m not in the UK or EU so I’m not sure they’d let me have it.
The UK site has a list of components and there are a couple I’m very keen to see.

https://www.mg.co.uk/opensource

Not yet

 

[Roger001]

Has anyone received a copy of what they’re providing?
I’m not in the UK or EU so I’m not sure they’d let me have it.
The UK site has a list of components and there are a couple I’m very keen to see.

https://www.mg.co.uk/opensource

I've requested access to the code, but have not yet heard anything back.

It is clear that it is going to get more complicated for MG as the public info will be raising additional questions.

- Questions will be raised about the age of some of the software, but 'security' issues are limited by the fact that MG has never made the MG4 that open. Without software interfaces (such as the one Octopus Energy would like to have) issues with older code can not easily be exploited by a third party.

- They are using a few products that are licensed under the GPL terms. These are interesting as all derivative works have to be then released, so if you used GPL code in a product, where the GPL code gets incorporated into the wider code, all the code then becomes GPL licensed.

 

[dave99]

I've requested access to the code, but have not yet heard anything back.

It is clear that it is going to get more complicated for MG as the public info will be raising additional questions.

- Questions will be raised about the age of some of the software, but 'security' issues are limited by the fact that MG has never made the MG4 that open. Without software interfaces (such as the one Octopus Energy would like to have) issues with older code can not easily be exploited by a third party.

- They are using a few products that are licensed under the GPL terms. These are interesting as all derivative works have to be then released, so if you used GPL code in a product, where the GPL code gets incorporated into the wider code, all the code then becomes GPL licensed.

I find licencing very confusing - but wouldn't they make sure GPL software was used as is in a library? Doesn't that get you around releasing the source?

 

[Roger001]

I find licencing very confusing - but wouldn't they make sure GPL software was used as is in a library? Doesn't that get you around releasing the source?

Now that is where things all start to get very complex, as some languages will directly embed a library within the code (static library), while others will connect to an independent library at runtime (dynamic library). Just about all languages also have a way to access libraries (if coded) as independent code modules - such as all the APIs that an OS will provide as part of the platform it provides. These are often provided under the LGPL licence in the open source world to allow reuse without the issues.

The GPL licence is clear regarding static libraries, but dynamic libraries are a can of worms that will likely only be cleared up by court battles deciding what a derived work is. The basic rule is do not use GPL based solutions unless you fully understand the future issues it may cause.

 

[siteguru]

I highly doubt any software in a car (which cant be guaranteed to have an Internet connection) will use dynamic libraries.

 

[Roger001]

I highly doubt any software in a car (which cant be guaranteed to have an Internet connection) will use dynamic libraries.

"Dynamic libraries" in this context just means code/resources held in an independent file that is loaded alongside the main application, at the time the application is started, code that is part of the application or environment will link/connect the main code with the code/resources held in the referenced files. If you are a Microsoft Windows user, you will likely have come across DLL files, which provide this type of feature in the Windows environment. It does not mean that the libraries are retrieved from another location, such as across an internet link.

 

[jamakr4]

I find licencing very confusing - but wouldn't they make sure GPL software was used as is in a library? Doesn't that get you around releasing the source?

MG has a big problem with licenses: https://jun.legal/en/tag/mg4/

 

[siteguru]

"Dynamic libraries" in this context just means code/resources held in an independent file that is loaded alongside the main application, at the time the application is started, code that is part of the application or environment will link/connect the main code with the code/resources held in the referenced files. If you are a Microsoft Windows user, you will likely have come across DLL files, which provide this type of feature in the Windows environment. It does not mean that the libraries are retrieved from another location, such as across an internet link.

I was think more along the lines of JS libraries like websites use ... CDN for example ... which are hosted on their own servers.

 

[okohll]

MG has a big problem with licenses: https://jun.legal/en/tag/mg4/

Hmm, interesting - "We are very surprised that SAIC is throwing its dealers under the bus in this situation and leaving them to bear the liability alone."

I guess members of this forum will probably be less surprised

 

[Roger001]

I was think more along the lines of JS libraries like websites use ... CDN for example ... which are hosted on their own servers.

Now that would be fun, as even the Trophy edition only has 1GB of monthly data allowance on it sim

 

[Roger001]

Hmm, interesting - "We are very surprised that SAIC is throwing its dealers under the bus in this situation and leaving them to bear the liability alone."

I guess members of this forum will probably be less surprised

No, currently the lawsuit is against SAIC Motor Deutschland GmbH rather than dealers. As the case dates back to August 19th I would guess that the new Open Source pages on both SAIC's German/EU and UK MG websites are a direct response.

The real question is have they done anything other than create the website at this time, it has been 4 days since I sent in my request for access to the source code, but I have yet to hear anything back.

 

[jamakr4]

No, currently the lawsuit is against SAIC Motor Deutschland GmbH rather than dealers. As the case dates back to August 19th I would guess that the new Open Source pages on both SAIC's German/EU and UK MG websites are a direct response.

The real question is have they done anything other than create the website at this time, it has been 4 days since I sent in my request for access to the source code, but I have yet to hear anything back.

Don’t forget the new license texts in r69. I emailed that address on the same day I opened the thread and still haven’t received any response. Honestly, I’m not surprised at all. It really feels like MG/SAIC doesn’t care about its customers, which is probably the main reason I won’t buy another MG—even though I actually like the car. At the moment, there’s nothing truly comparable in this price range (used) with the same features, and I don’t see anything coming anytime soon from other brands that can keep up with the overall package of the MG4.

 

[Roger001]

Don’t forget the new license texts in r69. I emailed that address on the same day I opened the thread and still haven’t received any response. Honestly, I’m not surprised at all. It really feels like MG/SAIC doesn’t care about its customers, which is probably the main reason I won’t buy another MG—even though I actually like the car. At the moment, there’s nothing truly comparable in this price range (used) with the same features, and I don’t see anything coming anytime soon from other brands that can keep up with the overall package of the MG4.

Far larger and 'better' companies are also being caught misusing open-source software because they think they can or just because development teams have included it and there has not been the correct business oversight in place.

I'm not aware of the new licence text, but I can guess it is full of negative changes. This would make sense if their lawyers have been reviewing the state of the software licensing. Most software licenses attempt to limit the supplier's liability for software-related issues by including lengthy and often misleading text, none of which holds up in a court of law in the EU/UK due to consumer rights laws that focus on the supplied product as a whole, rather than the parts that make up the product.