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SubjectRe: BSD Licensed files in Linux kernel.
On Wed, 8 Mar 2000, Darren Reed wrote:

> Sorry to disturb you folks, but someone has pointed out to me
> that there are some files (e.g. linux/drivers/net/bsd_comp.c)
> which are licensed under the BSD license and not the GPL.
>
> Whilst the Linux kernel itself is `meant' to be GPL'd, there
> would appear to be some doubt about whether the GPL would allow
> such files to be included (no sub-licensing, etc). Has anyone
> received legal advice about whether those files do in fact
> represent a further restriction that would conflict with the
> GPL ? If so, can they still be (re)distributed with Linux ?
> Afterall, it is not appropriate to just remove the offending
> lines...

Just a thought, but from my understanding the author of
a piece of software can release that software under as many
licenses as s/he feels. It is just that if a person recieves a
piece of code that is under the GPL they may not redistribute
that code under a different license (without first talking to the
author and making specific arrangements (which really mean
creating another specific license for the person who wishes to
redistribute the code under some other license) w/ him/her).
So if the author released it under both licenses (I have
no idea), it would be permissable to have it in the kernel, from
what I understand. It could also be, as someone else mentioned,
that you just can't have the kernel and those files linked into
the same binary, one has to be the kernel and the other has to
be compiled as a module...

Stephen


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