From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1423439AbXBPJNA (ORCPT ); Fri, 16 Feb 2007 04:13:00 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1423440AbXBPJM7 (ORCPT ); Fri, 16 Feb 2007 04:12:59 -0500 Received: from smtp19.orange.fr ([80.12.242.1]:10948 "EHLO smtp19.orange.fr" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1423439AbXBPJM6 (ORCPT ); Fri, 16 Feb 2007 04:12:58 -0500 X-ME-UUID: 20070216091256168.293CE1C00089@mwinf1928.orange.fr Subject: Re: GPL vs non-GPL device drivers From: Xavier Bestel To: v j Cc: David Lang , Scott Preece , Miguel Ojeda , linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org In-Reply-To: <9b3a62ab0702152148p57db8b1dgd42b1c6fb15dccbb@mail.gmail.com> References: <9b3a62ab0702142115m4ea7d2c0m6869eb64ef3ee14e@mail.gmail.com> <9b3a62ab0702142116n4069e16cl1bc8f546f41d935@mail.gmail.com> <20070215061149.GE15654@redhat.com> <9b3a62ab0702142227j19386132s870a0e745cfbb8d1@mail.gmail.com> <20070215165339.GB5285@thunk.org> <9b3a62ab0702151020k5bd0e4c9w763e1b01288ccc4f@mail.gmail.com> <653402b90702151102n3a3e0435r837e2191de79b2b@mail.gmail.com> <7b69d1470702151712x685f3e0eqf6198f9bb7f2394e@mail.gmail.com> <9b3a62ab0702152148p57db8b1dgd42b1c6fb15dccbb@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 10:12:50 +0100 Message-Id: <1171617170.5835.101.camel@frg-rhel40-em64t-03> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.0.2 (2.0.2-27) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org On Thu, 2007-02-15 at 21:48 -0800, v j wrote: > We only get crap because no one here yet knows how to interpret > proprietary modules loaded into the kernel. The proprietary modules where only a tiny wrapper is linux-specific and the rest is cross-platform are in a grey area, yes. But your modules, written specifically for linux but distributed as binary-only, are specifically what the people choosing the GPL want to avoid. They are a derivative work, and are, as such, illegal under the GPL. As stated by multiple other people, please consult a lawyer if you want to be nasty. Or just play by the rules. Xav