this post was submitted on 14 May 2026
84 points (97.7% liked)
Linux
65827 readers
1310 users here now
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
Rules
- Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
- No misinformation
- No NSFW content
- No hate speech, bigotry, etc
Related Communities
Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0
founded 7 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
The core point is: The printer runs FOSS software with a GPL license, but the company has modified it with the purpose to tie it to their own cloud service (like these HP inkjet printers for example).
That's not strictly accurate.
The slicer is Open Source yes, but not the printer firmware or software. That's closed source and proprietary to Bambu.
Now there's some contention there because a lot of the features and ideas that make modern 3D printing as reliable and great were developed in the open, under open source licenses and Bambu has definitely implemented many of them in their printer firmware, but they don't infringe any licenses in the printer software itself (as far as anyone is aware).
This whole debacle centres around the slicing software, which is separate from the printer itself (though is necessary to actually use the printer) and it's AGPL.
The firmware is not unlikely to be linux-based. And hardware drivers for Linux are part of the kernel which is under GPL license.
Not if they're kernel modules, written from scratch, afaik
That's not how it works. Kernel modules are part of the kernel and need to adhere to its license, which is GPLv2.
Of my saturdaymorning brain understands this correctly you might in fact be right https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#GPLStaticVsDynamic
Edit: however: https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxquestions/comments/1hdwm04/comment/m1zmt9d/ and https://docs.kernel.org/process/license-rules.html#id1
So I feel like this is definitely still possible and 'legal' depending on the implementation. Nvidia and AMD have done it for years.
IANAL though :p