Messages in this thread | | | Date | Thu, 17 Aug 2006 18:19:43 +0200 | From | Michiel de Boer <> | Subject | Re: GPL Violation? |
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Anonymous User wrote: > On 8/16/06, Anonymous User <anonymouslinuxuser@gmail.com> 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 suspect the company will try to get away with releasing as little as >> possible. I don't know much about the GPL or Linux kernel internals, >> but I want to encourage the company I work for to give back to the >> community. >> >> I understand that modifications to GPL code must be released under the >> GPL. So if they tweak a scheduler implementation, this must be >> released. What if a new driver is written to support a custom piece >> of hardware? Yes, the driver was written to work with the Linux >> kernel, but it isn't based off any existing piece of code. >> >> I'm posting anonymously because the company probably wouldn't want me >> discussing this at all :( > > > Thanks to everyone who has responded to my question so far. > > It seems like the two issues that need to be addressed are: > 1) Are the kernel modules being developed derived works? If they are, > they must be released along with the entire kernel source. > 2) If they are not derived works, and shipped in a product, does the > fact that they are shipped in a product that uses the linux kernel > require that the new modules be licensed under the GPL? > > Yes, I agree that the company I work for should talk to a lawyer. I > however, am not interested in picking up a big legal tab to satisfy my > curiosity. > - > 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/ > I suggest you take a look at http://gpl-violations.org/
Regards, Michiel de Boer
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