Messages in this thread |  | | From | (Linus Torvalds) | Subject | Re: Is it OK to release non-GPL network driver with source? | Date | 7 Sep 2000 14:59:20 -0700 |
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In article <20000906161126.B30302@ranma.sysrq.org>, Dave Allen <daveallen@acm.org> wrote: > >My company is currently working on a linux network driver (I'm sorry, >but I can't disclose which company or the nature of the driver right >now). However, recent discussions on this list have made me grow >concerned about licensing problems with the GPL. > >The source code for the driver _is_ going to be available, but it will >not be GPL'd.
Note that whenever it's not GPL'd, all the module restrictions kick in. So it's going to be "legal" the same way any binary only module is "legal" - assuming all the nasty requirements are met. For something as simple (from a conceptual standpoint, not necessarily an implementation standpoint) as a network driver, doing that is not likely to be a big problem.
It obviously cannot be linked into the kernel, but as a loadable module it's ok as long as it uses the standard interfaces and nothing more.
And sure, having source available might make it easier for people to help you: it can't become part of the standard kernel, and as such it will never be supported, but that's true of binary-only modules too.
I wouldn't recommend it, but I don't see that it would be an insurmountable problem.
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