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Especially since the GPL is one of the most widely known copyleft licenses out there. I can expect a layman to not know about it, but the software engineers at VMWare?

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It sounds from the above comment that even if engineers raise this issue, their legal department dismisses it. I find it bizarre for any serious company.

Yes exactly. Most large organizations (with in house counsel) take feedback from software/systems engineering very seriously. For compliance (especially licenses) contract requirements etc. Legal exists to serve/protect the organization.

That comment is just supposition. The author has not demonstrated any knowledge of VMware development or legal practices.

You assume that a software engineer knows any more about copyright law than a random person from the street? Cuz I'm pretty sure they don't also in virtually every company it will be "don't bother with this, let the lawyers deal with it".

Companies violate patents licenses agreements and all other legal nonsense all the time, that's what they got lawyers for.

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