Messages in this thread | | | From | Eric <> | Subject | Re: more files with licenses that aren't GPL-compatible | Date | Tue, 15 Jun 2004 19:38:02 -0500 |
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On Tuesday 15 June 2004 03:57 pm, Christoph Hellwig wrote: > While I don't want to jump into the usual Debian wankfest whether Linux > as GPL'ed project can distribute hex-images of firmware at all there are > a few firmware C headers files that have a license statement that aren't > GPL-compatible at all, namely the keyspan firmware in > drivers/usb/serial/keyspan*_fw.h with the following license text:
--*snip*--
> Permission is hereby granted for the distribution of this firmware > image as part of a Linux or other Open Source operating system kernel > in text or binary form as required.
> This firmware may not be modified and may only be used with > Keyspan hardware. Distribution and/or Modification of the > keyspan.c driver which includes this firmware, in whole or in > part, requires the inclusion of this statement." > ---------------------------- snip ---------------------------- > > which makes the kernel as whole unredistributable. A similar license > was according to Greg also recently granted for > drivers/usb/misc/emi62_fw_*.h which currently has even worse license > statements in there.
Unredistributable? Am I mistaken? It says permission is given to redistribute this piece as part of the linux kernel. You just can't modify it. Although it is unquestionably not a very permissive license, it's inclusion is not detrimental to the kernel.
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