Messages in this thread | | | Subject | Re: GPL vs non-GPL device drivers | From | Valdis.Kletnieks@vt ... | Date | Fri, 16 Feb 2007 04:52:22 -0500 |
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On Thu, 15 Feb 2007 22:25:12 PST, v j said: > > It's written in black and white, in the license. > > Please point me to where it says I cannot load proprietary modules in > the Kernel.
Nobody can point you there, because it doesn't say that anywhere.
What you do to *your* kernel is *your* business.
The question is what the code you *distribute* to *other* people does. It's perfectly legal to load proprietary modules into the kernel. The open question is whether you're allowed to ship a proprietary module to somebody else.
And that will depend in *great* detail on *exactly* what your module does, what code it uses, and how it does it. As others have pointed out, NVidia and ATI think they're in an OK spot with the way *they* do *their* module, while many embedded companies, shipping a much different product, have almost unanimously given in rather than risk a court fight about the GPL.
Of course, most companies will cave in and license rather than fight a patent troll as well - so you *really* need to discuss *your* case with a clueful lawyer. [unhandled content-type:application/pgp-signature] | |