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    SubjectRE: [PATCH] sockreg2.4.5-05 inet[6]_create() register/unregister table

    George Bonser writes:
    > There is, of course, one basic problem with that argument. While you can say
    > (and probably rightly so) that such a change would not be included in Linus'
    > kernel, I think anyone is allowed to post a patch that might make it
    > possible to add protocols as modules. If anyone chooses to use it is each
    > individual's decision but you could not prevent ACME from creating a patch
    > that allows protocol modules as long as they distributed the patch. Also, I
    > know that you are allowed to distribute proprietary modules in binary form
    > but are there any restrictions on what function these modules can perform?
    > I don't remember seeing any such restrictions.

    People can post whatever patches which do whatever, sure.
    But this isn't what matters.

    What matters is the API under which a binary-only module may interface
    to the kernel. Linus specifies that only the module exports in his
    tree fall into this API.

    As I stated in another email, the allowance of binary-only kernel
    modules is a special exception to the licensing of the kernel made by
    Linus. The GPL by itself, does not allow this at all.

    Later,
    David S. Miller
    davem@redhat.com

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