From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.0 (2014-02-07) on aws-us-west-2-korg-lkml-1.web.codeaurora.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-7.0 required=3.0 tests=BAYES_00, HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS,MAILING_LIST_MULTI,SIGNED_OFF_BY,SPF_HELO_NONE, SPF_PASS,URIBL_BLOCKED autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.0 Received: from mail.kernel.org (mail.kernel.org [198.145.29.99]) by smtp.lore.kernel.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9E13DC433DF for ; Tue, 11 Aug 2020 17:24:02 +0000 (UTC) Received: from vger.kernel.org (vger.kernel.org [23.128.96.18]) by mail.kernel.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 813B520771 for ; Tue, 11 Aug 2020 17:24:02 +0000 (UTC) Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1729152AbgHKRYC (ORCPT ); Tue, 11 Aug 2020 13:24:02 -0400 Received: from mga09.intel.com ([134.134.136.24]:62001 "EHLO mga09.intel.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1729150AbgHKRYB (ORCPT ); Tue, 11 Aug 2020 13:24:01 -0400 IronPort-SDR: lhL68nV8Ruyfvn6I28rgbv58gLw237Jn//b6/9vm0BvIPmzYurDIdjxxKBfvOFZH0gEPOVGYDd pKITMHZVz18g== X-IronPort-AV: E=McAfee;i="6000,8403,9710"; a="154910056" X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="5.76,301,1592895600"; d="scan'208";a="154910056" X-Amp-Result: SKIPPED(no attachment in message) X-Amp-File-Uploaded: False Received: from fmsmga004.fm.intel.com ([10.253.24.48]) by orsmga102.jf.intel.com with ESMTP/TLS/ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384; 11 Aug 2020 10:24:00 -0700 IronPort-SDR: hZEia4jOZt4s6s9oIl3KXGk5o3PWnjkpjhslTxVZbtDGOOdbxZPK4LNvXPdXJ3XuF7I9fSPA3G 3KLTDJxFs+ag== X-ExtLoop1: 1 X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="5.76,301,1592895600"; d="scan'208";a="317804399" Received: from viggo.jf.intel.com (HELO localhost.localdomain) ([10.54.77.144]) by fmsmga004.fm.intel.com with ESMTP; 11 Aug 2020 10:24:00 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] Documentation: clarify driver licensing rules To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Cc: Dave Hansen , dan.j.williams@intel.com, h.peter.anvin@intel.com, tglx@linutronix.de, gregkh@linuxfoundation.org, corbet@lwn.net, linux-spdx@vger.kernel.org, linux-doc@vger.kernel.org From: Dave Hansen Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2020 10:17:48 -0700 Message-Id: <20200811171748.F22CD85A@viggo.jf.intel.com> Sender: linux-spdx-owner@vger.kernel.org Precedence: bulk List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-spdx@vger.kernel.org Resend. Something appears to have eaten this on the way to LKML (at least) the last time. -- From: Dave Hansen Greg has challenged some recent driver submitters on their license choices. He was correct to do so, as the choices in these instances did not always advance the aims of the submitters. But, this left submitters (and the folks who help them pick licenses) a bit confused. They have read things like Documentation/process/license-rules.rst which says: individual source files can have a different license which is required to be compatible with the GPL-2.0 and Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst: We don't insist on any kind of exclusive GPL licensing, and if you wish ... you may well wish to release under multiple licenses. As written, these appear a _bit_ more laissez faire than we've been in practice lately. It sounds like we at least expect submitters to make a well-reasoned license choice and to explain their rationale. It does not appear that we blindly accept anything that is simply GPLv2-compatible. Drivers appear to be the most acute source of misunderstanding, so fix the driver documentation first. Update it to clarify maintainer expectations. Signed-off-by: Dave Hansen Cc: Dan Williams Cc: H. Peter Anvin Cc: Thomas Gleixner Cc: Greg Kroah-Hartman Cc: Jonathan Corbet Cc: linux-spdx@vger.kernel.org Cc: linux-doc@vger.kernel.org Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org --- b/Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst | 12 +++++++----- 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-) diff -puN Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst~clarify-dual-licensing Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst --- a/Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst~clarify-dual-licensing 2020-08-11 09:35:55.493109636 -0700 +++ b/Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst 2020-08-11 09:35:55.496109636 -0700 @@ -59,11 +59,13 @@ What Criteria Determine Acceptance ---------------------------------- Licensing: - The code must be released to us under the - GNU General Public License. We don't insist on any kind - of exclusive GPL licensing, and if you wish the driver - to be useful to other communities such as BSD you may well - wish to release under multiple licenses. + The code must be released to us under the GNU General Public + License. While there are no kernel-wide rules, some maintainers + may insist on exclusive GPL licensing by default. If you wish + the driver to be useful to other communities such as BSD you may + well wish to release under multiple licenses. If you choose to + release under multiple licenses, you should include your + rationale for your license choices in your cover letter. See accepted licenses at include/linux/module.h Copyright: _