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That is a misconception, the GPLv2 also provides users the right to modify, rebuild and reinstall software on their devices.

https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2021/mar/25/install-gplv2/ https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2021/jul/23/tivoization-and-t...

However, with both GPLv2 and GPLv3, a vendor of an aggregation of copyleft and proprietary software can legally cause the the proprietary software to stop working when the copyleft software is modified. I think this hasn't been tested in court though, but the license as they are written both allow this. This would essentially brick your car/tractor until you rewrote that proprietary software from scratch.

https://events19.linuxfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017...




You're right, I had misunderstood. Thanks for those very interesting links.




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