lkml.org 
[lkml]   [2004]   [Apr]   [28]   [last100]   RSS Feed
Views: [wrap][no wrap]   [headers]  [forward] 
 
Messages in this thread
    /
    From
    SubjectRe: [PATCH] Blacklist binary-only modules lying about their license
    Date

    On Apr 28, 2004, at 3:32 PM, Timothy Miller wrote:

    >
    >
    > Marc Boucher wrote:
    >
    >>> I believe you have to remove the \0 to operate legally (or release
    >>> the full source under the GPL for real.)
    >>> Your customer's problem is fixable though. Either by also changing
    >>> the logging level
    >>> so the message doesn't go out on the console, or by patching the
    >>> line with that printk() out of your customer's kernel.
    >>> You can do this as a part of your install program. If it gets too
    >>> hard, consider
    >>> supplying the customer with your own precompiled kernel.
    >> Thank you for the advice. However, if you knew our customers and
    >> understood their needs better you would realize that these are not
    >> feasible options.
    >
    >
    > If your only "options" involve violating the GPL, then you cannot do
    > business in this area.

    that's not what I said. What I said is that kernel patches are not an
    acceptable temporary workaround for the large installed base of average
    customers, since they generally cannot or do not want to bother
    recompiling stuff. We still make source for linux code and other parts
    required to allow the technically inclined to easily rebuild the
    modules and comply with the GPL.

    > "Someone won't let me release some code" isn't an excuse for breaking
    > the law.
    >

    The proprietary code that cannot be released in source form is
    licensed material that was essentially developed by another party
    (Conexant) for other platforms. It clearly does not constitute a
    derived work of Linux.

    Marc

    --
    Marc Boucher
    Linuxant inc.

    -
    To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
    the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
    More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
    Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/

    \
     
     \ /
      Last update: 2005-03-22 14:02    [W:4.669 / U:0.040 seconds]
    ©2003-2020 Jasper Spaans|hosted at Digital Ocean and TransIP|Read the blog|Advertise on this site