Messages in this thread | | | Date | Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:59:04 -0600 | From | "Chris Friesen" <> | Subject | Re: [PATCH 2.6.25] module: allow ndiswrapper to use GPL-only symbols |
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Linus Torvalds wrote: > > On Fri, 29 Feb 2008, Chris Friesen wrote: > >>But the GPL only applies to derivative works. Given that ndiswrapper loads >>binaries designed for another OS, doesn't that mean that it is unlikely that >>the binaries would be impacted by the GPL? > > > But that's what GPLONLY means. > > What's so hard to understand? The driver may not be a derivative work, but > it sure as hell isn't GPL'd.
I hope this won't dump me into the flamers filter....but here goes:
If the intent of the GPLONLY export is really to keep the symbol from being used by non-GPL code then I agree that ndiswrapper shouldn't be able to use them.
However, you yourself wrote something stating otherwise: (http://groups.google.ca/group/linux.kernel/msg/0066655bb1be1e4c):
'I think we _can_ do things where we give clear hints to people that "we think this is such an internal Linux thing that you simply cannot use this without being considered a derived work".....So I personally don't see EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL() to be a "technical measure", I see it as being "documentation".'
Under that interpretation, ndiswrapper should be able to make use of GPLONLY symbols because the binary blobs are clearly not derivative works.
Chris
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