GPL Clarification

[t3hi3x]

I have a couple of questions about the GPL.

If a company develops a piece of hardware that has linux installed on it, and uses libraries to operate that released under the GPL, does the company have to release the source code to its software?

Am I right in assuming they do not? Things like dd-wrt where they sell their x86 versions, even though its linux, they are selling the interface?

[supirman]

You're allowed to sell GPL software, but if you distribute it, you have to make the source available to those you've distributed it to (and consequently, to people they've decided to distribute it to). You can write software on a Linux system that is proprietary so long as it isn't linked with GPL software. You're perfectly allowed to have proprietary and GPL software "side-by-side" on the same system.

Read the GPL FAQ: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html

[pmasiar]

You have to release all GPL code you use (website download is fine). If you have to release your own code or not depends how closely your code is related to GPL libraries it uses, if it uses some GPL specifics or not. Custom code unrelated to GPL libraries is just fine. Don't rely on advice from anonymous strangers, ask a lawyer, so your company will not get into troubles.