Cisco settles case with Free Software Foundation

Cisco has promised to ensure that GPL code is used properly

Cisco Systems has settled the court action brought by the Free Software Foundation (FSF) over the unauthorised use of free software in its Linksys routers.

The FSF sued Cisco in December after trying to reach a resolution for two years. The case centred around the code for Linksys routers, which used material covered by the GNU General Public Licence (GPL).

As part of the settlement, Cisco will appoint a director of free software for Linksys, who will ensure that GPL code is used properly and report back to the FSF on a regular basis with progress reports.

"We are glad that Cisco has affirmed its commitment to the free software community by implementing additional measures within its compliance programme, and dedicating appropriate resources to them, further reassuring users' freedoms under the GPL," said Peter Brown, executive director of the FSF.

"Our agreement results in making all of the relevant source code available in the fastest way possible."

Cisco has also committed to contacting customers of Linksys to inform them of the changes in their terms and conditions, to post details of the free software used on its web site and to pay a settlement fee to the FSF.

The FSF stated in a blog post that it did not undertake such cases to make money or wreck businesses, merely to preserve the integrity of the GPL.