From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1754078AbXLCBO4 (ORCPT ); Sun, 2 Dec 2007 20:14:56 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1750977AbXLCBOp (ORCPT ); Sun, 2 Dec 2007 20:14:45 -0500 Received: from emailhub.stusta.mhn.de ([141.84.69.5]:36255 "EHLO mailhub.stusta.mhn.de" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-FAIL) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1750717AbXLCBOo (ORCPT ); Sun, 2 Dec 2007 20:14:44 -0500 Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2007 02:14:37 +0100 From: Adrian Bunk To: Patrick McHardy Cc: Ben Greear , Stephen Hemminger , Mark Lord , linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, netdev@vger.kernel.org, containers@lists.osdl.org Subject: Re: namespace support requires network modules to say "GPL" Message-ID: <20071203011437.GP15974@stusta.de> References: <47515D39.9030900@rtr.ca> <20071201111736.297dd99a@freepuppy.rosehill> <20071201163035.321fd554@freepuppy.rosehill> <475227B1.2060802@rtr.ca> <20071201202354.672aed18@freepuppy.rosehill> <47530778.7030605@candelatech.com> <47530FAC.1070804@trash.net> <20071202204356.GN15974@stusta.de> <47532AD2.8090704@trash.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <47532AD2.8090704@trash.net> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.17 (2007-11-01) Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org On Sun, Dec 02, 2007 at 10:59:46PM +0100, Patrick McHardy wrote: > Adrian Bunk wrote: >> On Sun, Dec 02, 2007 at 09:03:56PM +0100, Patrick McHardy wrote: >... >> your statement has an interesting implication: >> >> Stuff like e.g. the EXPORT_SYMBOL(sk_alloc) predates the EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL >> stuff. >> >> Who is considered the author of this code? >> >> And when should he state whether he prefers to use EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL but >> wasn't able to use it at that when he wrote it since his code predates it >> and is glad to be able to decide this now? > > He can state it when he feels like it, I don't see the point. > Authors generally get to decide whether they use EXPORT_SYMBOL > or EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL unless in cases where its really clear-cut > that EXPORT_SYMBOL is inapproriate. But thats a different matter. >... You miss my point. Stuff like sk_alloc was exported to modules before EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL existed (it was even exported to modules before EXPORT_SYMBOL existed). We are talking about code and exports that are at about 12 years old, which is at about twice as old as EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL. So what should happen in your opinion if e.g. Alan checks which of the network code he had written when it was exported a dozen years ago, stating that he never wanted it to be available to non-GPL modules? cu Adrian -- "Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days. "Only a promise," Lao Er said. Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed