lkml.org 
[lkml]   [2006]   [Aug]   [17]   [last100]   RSS Feed
Views: [wrap][no wrap]   [headers]  [forward] 
 
Messages in this thread
/
Date
From
SubjectRe: GPL Violation?
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

-
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: 2006-08-17 18:21    [W:0.196 / U:0.400 seconds]
©2003-2020 Jasper Spaans|hosted at Digital Ocean and TransIP|Read the blog|Advertise on this site