Messages in this thread | | | From | Patrick McFarland <> | Subject | Re: GPL Violation? | Date | Thu, 17 Aug 2006 03:32:51 -0400 |
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On Thursday 17 August 2006 02:54, Arjan van de Ven wrote: > On Thu, 2006-08-17 at 02:42 -0400, Patrick McFarland wrote: > > On Thursday 17 August 2006 01:48, Anonymous User wrote: > > > I work for a company that will be developing an embedded Linux based > > > consumer electronic device. > > > > > > I believe that new kernel modules will be written to support I/O > > > peripherals and perhaps other things. I don't know the details right > > > now. What I am trying to do is get an idea of what requirements there > > > are to make the source code available under the GPL. > > > > I am not a lawyer, and I suggest your company speak with one before doing > > this. (And most likely, someone from the list will correct me if I get > > something wrong). > > > > However, your company only has to release any code they use, preferably > > in the form of unmodified tarballs (pointing to project websites for > > downloads isn't valid anymore) plus patches against said unmodified > > tarballs if modified. If not modified, you still have to release the > > unmodified tarballs. > > > > They don't have to release source code for any module you wrote from > > scratch themselves, but said modules cannot say they are GPL (ie, they > > have to poison the kernel). > > Just as a warning: This is your own legal opinion/advice, one which is > apparently not shared with many other kernel developers, including me. > For example see Greg's OLS keynote: > http://www.kroah.com/log/2006/07/23/#ols_2006_keynote > or some of Linus' emails on this topic: > http://cvs.fedora.redhat.com/viewcvs/*checkout*/rpms/kernel/devel/COPYING.m >odules?rev=1.5 > > I hope you have talked to a lawyer about your advice, but I sort of > doubt it since your answer doesn't sound like something a lawyer will > tell you (it sure doesn't match what the various lawyers I talked to > told me, not at all)
Like I told him, he needs to talk to a lawyer. Also, Linus probably won't agree with me because I said closed source modules are possible. If Linus wants those to not be possible, then hes going to have to change the licensing agreement altogether; which, honestly, I wish he would.
Closed source modules are lame, and against the spirit of open source, but that still doesn't make them against the license.
-- Patrick McFarland || www.AdTerrasPerAspera.com "Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music." -- Kristian Wilson, Nintendo, Inc, 1989
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