From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1753029Ab2DVXKg (ORCPT ); Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:10:36 -0400 Received: from lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk ([81.2.110.251]:44753 "EHLO lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1752752Ab2DVXKe (ORCPT ); Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:10:34 -0400 Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:13:06 +0100 From: Alan Cox To: Mike Snitzer Cc: James.Bottomley@hansenpartnership.com, linux-scsi@vger.kernel.org, Hannes Reinecke , Chandra Seetharaman , linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: [PATCH v2] [SCSI] scsi_dh: change scsi_dh_detach export to EXPORT_SYMBOL Message-ID: <20120423001306.040c512b@pyramind.ukuu.org.uk> In-Reply-To: <20120422230156.GA25181@redhat.com> References: <20120405144721.GA18437@redhat.com> <20120420144538.GB8155@redhat.com> <20120420173405.GA8846@redhat.com> <20120420214120.159e2690@pyramind.ukuu.org.uk> <20120420215825.GA10406@redhat.com> <20120420232043.40ddc3c4@pyramind.ukuu.org.uk> <20120420225822.GA10769@redhat.com> <20120421001433.2955abd4@pyramind.ukuu.org.uk> <20120422221329.GB24109@redhat.com> <20120422233454.7cdd0f35@pyramind.ukuu.org.uk> <20120422230156.GA25181@redhat.com> X-Mailer: Claws Mail 3.8.0 (GTK+ 2.24.8; x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu) Face: 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 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org > Anyway, your no compromises approach is admirable but it doesn't erase > the fact that all proprietary Linux drivers use EXPORT_SYMBOL code. People still steal from shops. It doesn't mean we should abolish the idea of theft. > So what you're really saying is no proprietary drivers are allowed to be > loaded into a Linux kernel. The GPL defines the boundary. Whether it is possible for a work to be non-derivative and a kernel module is a matter for the lawyers to debate. If it is derivative however I don't think there is quite so much doubt. Linus wrote the following |>"On Wed, 3 Dec 2003, Kendall Bennett wrote: |> |> I have heard many people reference the fact that the although the Linux |> Kernel is under the GNU GPL license, that the code is licensed with an |> exception clause that says binary loadable modules do not have to be |> under the GPL. | |Nope. No such exception exists. | |There's a clarification that user-space programs that use the standard |system call interfaces aren't considered derived works, but even that |isn't an "exception" - it's just a statement of a border of what is |clearly considered a "derived work". User programs are _clearly_ not |derived works of the kernel, and as such whatever the kernel license is |just doesn't matter. | |And in fact, when it comes to modules, the GPL issue is exactly the same. |The kernel _is_ GPL. No ifs, buts and maybe's about it. As a result, |anything that is a derived work has to be GPL'd. It's that simple. (and then goes on to discuss further his own personal opinion) http://kerneltrap.org/node/1735 But you still misunderstand the fundamental problem, and this really needs to be discussed with Red Hat legal. Alan