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<h1>Christoph Hellwig's VMware Lawsuit - Resources</h1>
 

	
 
<p>Christoph Hellwig's case against VMware in Germany has concluded.  You can
 
  view the relevant announcements and analysis that Conservancy has published
 
  about the case below, starting with the announcement regarding the conclusion
 
  of the case:</p>
 
<h2 id="vmware">Conservancy v. Best Buy, et al</h2>
 

	
 
<p>On 14 December 2009, Software Freedom Conservancy filed a federal copyright
 
lawsuit against 14 defendants, including Best Buy, Samsung, Westinghouse, and
 
JVC.
 
The <a href="https://ia600207.us.archive.org/21/items/gov.uscourts.nysd.355978/gov.uscourts.nysd.355978.docket.html">docket
 
of that lawsuit is available (on archive.org)</a> and
 
the <a href="/docs/busybox-complaint-2009-12-14.pdf">original complaint is on
 
    our website</a>.</p>
 

	
 
<p>Conservancy settled with each defendant at different times, and the
 
  dismissals can be seen in the docket.  Generally speaking, and pursuant to
 
  our <a href="/copyleft-compliance/principles.html">Principles of
 
  Community-Oriented GPL enforcement</a>, Conservancy never settles a lawsuit
 
  unless we believe that full compliance has been achieved (or will be
 
  achieved imminently) with the terms of <em>all</em> copyleft licenses
 
  on <em>all</em> software included in the devices at issue in any lawsuit
 
  that we've filed.</p>
 

	
 
<p>One oft-stated confusion about this litigation was that we sued Best Buy
 
  for sales of third-party devices in their stores.  <strong>That is not
 
  accurate</strong>.  Best Buy had a house-brand DVD player under the
 
  &ldquo;Insignia&rdquo; &ldquo;house brand&rdquo; that they produced as
 
  their own product.</p>
 

	
 
<h2 id="vmware">Christoph Hellwig's VMware Lawsuit</h2>
 

	
 
<p>Conservancy partially funded and assisted in coordination of Christoph
 
  Hellwig's lawsuit against VMware in Germany.  That case concluded in 2019.
 
  You can view the relevant announcements and analysis that Conservancy has
 
  published about the case below, starting with the announcement regarding
 
  the conclusion of the case:</p>
 

	
 
<p>
 
  <ul>
 
    <li><a href="/news/2019/apr/02/vmware-no-appeal/">VMware Suit Concludes in Germany</a></li>
 
    <li><a href="http://faif.us/cast/2019/apr/22/0x66/"><cite>Free as in
 
    Freedom</cite> that discusses the conclusion of the lawsuit</a></li>
 
    Freedom</cite> podcast that discusses the conclusion of the
 
    lawsuit</a></li>
 
    <li><a href="/news/2016/aug/09/vmware-appeal/">Announcement of Appeal</a></li>
 
    <li><a href="/news/2015/mar/05/vmware-lawsuit/">Original Press Release</a></li>
 
    <li><a href="/copyleft-compliance/vmware-lawsuit-appeal.html">Funding our Compliance Work</a></li>