is selling firmware upgrade legal?

[rpconnect]

I noticed on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ory=35209&rd=1 that someone is selling a firmware upgrade for the e680 (to e680i) and it seems like they are simply selling the torrent files to do the upgrade. I would imagine that because the firmware files were obtianed "magically" that turning around and selling it is illegal, but I do now know for sure. any thoughts?

[maxx_730]

it is, the firmware is motorola proprietary, as are the flashing programs, so basically only motorola could sell them legally i guess. I dont know the law that well though, could be wrong.

[rpconnect]

that's kind of what I thought. on ebay it is going for $19.99 - i suppose we chould be as duplicitous by burning the torrent files on a CD then undercutting the current ebay seller by asking for only $9.99 (of course we wont). Alternatively we could simply "sell" the link to the torrent file for only $5.99, but doesn't that defeat the "open source" rational behind why many of us bought this phone in the first place?

Apparently the seller lives only about an hour from me, I have half a mind to track them down and bonk them on the head for being so greedy.

[cytux]

I suppose it as you, it's illegal. Opera for example isn't free and open source. Also, he isn't right when he writes: "There is no need to buy e680i if you already have e680." There is the bluetooth stereo difference.

If it would be completely open source, he could sell it, but as it seems it isn't completely open source. Thought, it is not likely that much people buy this stuff, when they'd get it from the internet for free.

[pascal]

i think we should all write him a mail in ebay, that he stop this auction else we would inform ebay about selling an illegal article.

i hate auctions like this one!
i will not wonder if he is member of this forum gets free all what he need and no try to make fast money with it.
btw, he buyed e680 at same seller like me

[cytux]

I'd prefer to write him a mail, that he'd become a serious problem if ebay, Motorola, Opera Software or any one of the big players will get it.

But I am definitely not the guy who will inform any of these big players. If anyone likes to buy what is for free, he should do so. The whole world buys kiddy software where it's better in my eyes to get better software for free. Just my 1¹/² cent.

[yantz]

lets create some accounts and outbid each other. it would be fun

[crazyboi]

you can create two accounts, one with max bid of $1000000, and another one with max bid of $1000001...

it would create such a hassle for him to deal with ebay to report a non paying bidder, because ebay will charge him a percentage of the final selling price... :P

[rpconnect]

the outbidding sounds like a better way of dealing w/ this than my earlier suggestiing of "bonking him on the head"; i know alsip is small but who knows how long it could take to find him.

[pascal]

@rpconnect
you can buy it when he agreed to make a personal transfer to bonk him on the head