[I4L] hfcpci missing MODULE_LICENSE

[I4L] hfcpci missing MODULE_LICENSE

[Tonnerre Anklin]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 932 bytes --]

Salut,

If this is compiled as a module and then loaded, the kernel is tainted
because of a missing module license.

Also,  according to  many european  laws, software  which  is released
under no license must not be used.

More on this patch can be found at
<URL:http://keepsake.keepsake.ch/~thunder/noyau/2.6.0-test11-ta1/hfcpci_license.xml>

				Thunder

diff -Nur linux-2.6.0-test9-mm3/drivers/isdn/hisax/hisax_hfcpci.c linux-2.6.0-test9-mm3-ta1/drivers/isdn/hisax/hisax_hfcpci.c
--- linux-2.6.0-test9-mm3/drivers/isdn/hisax/hisax_hfcpci.c	2003-10-08 21:24:04.000000000 +0200
+++ linux-2.6.0-test9-mm3-ta1/drivers/isdn/hisax/hisax_hfcpci.c	2003-11-24 13:30:53.000000000 +0100
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 MODULE_PARM(debug, "i");
 #endif
 
+MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
 MODULE_AUTHOR("Kai Germaschewski <kai.germaschewski@gmx.de>/Werner Cornelius <werner@isdn4linux.de>");
 MODULE_DESCRIPTION("HFC PCI ISDN driver");
 

[-- Attachment #2: Digital signature --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 189 bytes --]

Re: [I4L] hfcpci missing MODULE_LICENSE

[Valdis.Kletnieks]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1528 bytes --]

On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 03:00:03 +0100, Tonnerre Anklin <thunder@keepsake.ch>  said:

> If this is compiled as a module and then loaded, the kernel is tainted
> because of a missing module license.

True.  However..

> Also,  according to  many european  laws, software  which  is released
> under no license must not be used.

No way to verify this.  I mostly understand the US copyright code as
it impacts my work, but have no idea what the other side of that puddle
does legally (and for that matter, I don't claim to know what the other
side of the other, even bigger, puddle is)...

> <URL:http://keepsake.keepsake.ch/~thunder/noyau/2.6.0-test11-ta1/hfcpci_license.xml>

which says: "I guess the license is meant to be GPL."  And so it was almost
certainly intended to be.

> +MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
>  MODULE_AUTHOR("Kai Germaschewski <kai.germaschewski@gmx.de>/Werner Cornelius <werner@isdn4linux.de>");


Unfortunately, neither you nor I nor anybody but Kai or Werner (or their
assignees) can do this, as I understand the law.  The only proper resolutions
here are to get one of them to make some sort of statement (I suspect even a
"Yea, it's GPL, we just forgot the macro" e-mail from one of them would be good
enough), or to pull the code out of the 2.6.0 tree till it *is* resolved.

(Sorry to be a stickler, but this is the sort of thing that Darl and
company would love to make a point about - we *do* need to keep careful
track of the actual source and license status of every line....)

Kai? Werner? You out there?


[-- Attachment #2: Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 226 bytes --]

Re: [I4L] hfcpci missing MODULE_LICENSE

[Kai Germaschewski]

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 Valdis.Kletnieks@vt.edu wrote:

> which says: "I guess the license is meant to be GPL."  And so it was almost
> certainly intended to be.
> 
> > +MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
> >  MODULE_AUTHOR("Kai Germaschewski <kai.germaschewski@gmx.de>/Werner Cornelius <werner@isdn4linux.de>");
> 
> 
> Unfortunately, neither you nor I nor anybody but Kai or Werner (or their
> assignees) can do this, as I understand the law.  The only proper resolutions
> here are to get one of them to make some sort of statement (I suspect even a
> "Yea, it's GPL, we just forgot the macro" e-mail from one of them would be good
> enough), or to pull the code out of the 2.6.0 tree till it *is* resolved.

Yes, it's GPL, it actually even says so in the comment at the beginning of 
the file. It's based on Werner's original driver which was GPL, and the 
work I contributed to the Linux kernel is GPL too, of course.

--Kai

Re: [I4L] hfcpci missing MODULE_LICENSE

[Valdis.Kletnieks]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 300 bytes --]

On Fri, 28 Nov 2003 18:40:32 EST, Kai Germaschewski said:

> Yes, it's GPL, it actually even says so in the comment at the beginning of 
> the file. It's based on Werner's original driver which was GPL, and the 
> work I contributed to the Linux kernel is GPL too, of course.

OK.. Works for me. :)


[-- Attachment #2: Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 226 bytes --]