I once started an open source project where one facet was interfacing with, and even embedded firmware for, proprietary hardware. I went for the GPL precisely because vendors would otherwise use the software without giving back patches, credit etc, and indeed hide the fact that they were shipping free software in the first place. The vendors would thus not have any more inclination to be more open about their hardware's protocols etc, they'd just get free labor.
And you know what? They did it anyway. Several times people shipped our software, changed just enough that it wasn't blindingly obvious at a glance, but of course we figured it out and lots of lying ensued. There is no point whatsoever in trying to be nice wrt proprietary hardware, hardline all the way.
FYI the guy running the VLC project (Jean-Baptiste Kempf) once changed the license for it, 10 years after the project started, with tons of contributors to contact etc. Some patches had to be rewritten, but most authors just agreed. Took him years, but he totally did it, and VLC got the new license. I don't know if I'd recommend it, or have the stomach to do that myself, but the guy is a personal hero of mine because of it. You could be, too! :-)
And you know what? They did it anyway. Several times people shipped our software, changed just enough that it wasn't blindingly obvious at a glance, but of course we figured it out and lots of lying ensued. There is no point whatsoever in trying to be nice wrt proprietary hardware, hardline all the way.
FYI the guy running the VLC project (Jean-Baptiste Kempf) once changed the license for it, 10 years after the project started, with tons of contributors to contact etc. Some patches had to be rewritten, but most authors just agreed. Took him years, but he totally did it, and VLC got the new license. I don't know if I'd recommend it, or have the stomach to do that myself, but the guy is a personal hero of mine because of it. You could be, too! :-)