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From: David Lang <david.lang@digitalinsight.com>
To: Aaron Smith <aws4y@virginia.edu>
Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: Linux GPL and binary module exception clause?
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2003 17:47:45 -0800 (PST)	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.58.0312031742150.8229@dlang.diginsite.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <3FCE854A.70404@virginia.edu>

there is no way to taint something so much that it's no longer covered by
the GPL (if it was that would mean that you have no legal way to have a
copy of it).

Remember that the GPL doesn't put any restrictions on what you do with the
code as long as you are not distributing it.

becouse of this you could take the kernel and include any propriatary code
in it that you want and run it. You don't even need to use modules, just
paste in th code and compile (make sure you have a legal right to the code
you are pasting in though :-)

the GPL comes in when you distribute it (and even here there are grey
areas, does it count as distributing code to put it on a companies
desktops for example?, but if you sell it or incude it in a product that
you sell you definantly do have to release the source)

if you are talking about the 'tainted' flag in the kernel, that is just a
flag that you should not expect to get support for this configuration
from the opensource developers.

does this answer your question?

David Lang

On Wed, 3 Dec 2003, Aaron Smith wrote:

> Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2003 19:52:26 -0500
> From: Aaron Smith <aws4y@virginia.edu>
> To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
> Subject: Re: Linux GPL and binary module exception clause?
>
>
> >So being a module is not a sign of not being a derived work. It's just
> >one sign that _maybe_ it might have other arguments for why it isn't
> >derived.
> >
> >		Linus
> >
> >
> My question is a natural extension of this point and subsequent posts,
> When is a kernel so tainted it can no longer be considered GPL, or can
> no longer be considered free software? I write software for astronomical
> applications where some vendors give binary only drivers, or give you
> restricted access to the source code so I will some times load 5 or 6
> devices that are binary only or at least non GPL. So what taint is
> allowable?
>
> Thanks,
> Aaron Smith
> Virginia Astronomical Instrumentation Laboratory
> Programmer
>
> PS sorry if this is a stupid question.
>
> -
> To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
> the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
> More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
> Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/
>

-- 
"Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place.
Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are,
by definition, not smart enough to debug it." - Brian W. Kernighan

  reply	other threads:[~2003-12-04  1:03 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 258+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2003-12-03 21:31 Linux GPL and binary module exception clause? Kendall Bennett
2003-12-03 21:47 ` Arjan van de Ven
2003-12-03 23:33   ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-03 22:11 ` Richard B. Johnson
2003-12-03 23:33   ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-03 23:40   ` bill davidsen
2003-12-04  0:00 ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-04  0:23   ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-04  6:25     ` Karim Yaghmour
2003-12-06  0:08       ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-06  2:28         ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-06  9:55           ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-06 10:51             ` Geert Uytterhoeven
2003-12-08 18:58         ` Karim Yaghmour
2003-12-09 20:26           ` bill davidsen
2003-12-09 21:46             ` Craig Milo Rogers
2003-12-12 11:36               ` Jamie Lokier
2003-12-12 15:27                 ` Bill Davidsen
2003-12-10 14:09         ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 14:25           ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-10 14:46             ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-10 15:05               ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-10 15:11                 ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-10 15:49                   ` Aron Rubin
2003-12-10 15:59                   ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-10 16:06                     ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-10 16:22                       ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-10 18:38                     ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-04 19:24     ` viro
2003-12-13  0:11       ` Nix
2003-12-13  0:25         ` viro
2003-12-13 15:01           ` Nix
2003-12-04  0:29   ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-04  0:52   ` Aaron Smith
2003-12-04  1:47     ` David Lang [this message]
2003-12-04  1:20       ` Aaron Smith
2003-12-04  4:48       ` Jamie Lokier
2003-12-04 15:21   ` Jason Kingsland
2003-12-04 15:58     ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-05  1:58     ` David Schwartz
2003-12-05  2:43       ` Jason Kingsland
2003-12-05 13:09         ` Pat Erley
2003-12-05 18:44         ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-10 13:06         ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-05 13:49       ` Maciej Zenczykowski
2003-12-10 13:43         ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 16:07           ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 18:33             ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 19:20               ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 20:15                 ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 21:04                   ` Ingo Molnar
2003-12-10 21:05                     ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 21:17                       ` Ingo Molnar
2003-12-10 22:59                         ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-11  0:58                           ` Rob Love
2003-12-11 10:56                           ` Xavier Bestel
2003-12-11  7:26             ` Rob Landley
2003-12-05 17:29   ` Jason Kingsland
2003-12-05 17:50     ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-03 22:58 Xose Vazquez Perez
2003-12-03 23:22 Jason Kingsland
     [not found] <YPep.5Y5.21@gated-at.bofh.it>
     [not found] ` <Z3AK-Qw-13@gated-at.bofh.it>
2003-12-04 17:05   ` Ihar 'Philips' Filipau
2003-12-04 17:57     ` Thierry Vignaud
2003-12-05 11:11     ` Helge Hafting
2003-12-05 12:12       ` Stefan Smietanowski
2003-12-05 14:51         ` Ihar 'Philips' Filipau
2003-12-04 23:50 Paul Adams
2003-12-05  0:07 ` Nick Piggin
2003-12-05  2:07   ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-05 15:57     ` Thierry Vignaud
2003-12-05  4:23   ` Peter Chubb
2003-12-05  4:42     ` Nick Piggin
2003-12-05  8:23       ` Peter Chubb
2003-12-05 17:19         ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-05 18:42           ` Jeremy Fitzhardinge
2003-12-05  5:13     ` Valdis.Kletnieks
2003-12-05  5:26       ` Hua Zhong
2003-12-05  6:34       ` David Schwartz
2003-12-05  6:58         ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-05 11:16           ` David Schwartz
2003-12-05 13:34             ` Anders Karlsson
2003-12-05 14:03             ` Ryan Anderson
2003-12-05 16:38               ` Shawn Willden
2003-12-05 16:54                 ` Arjan van de Ven
2003-12-05 17:03                   ` Shawn Willden
2003-12-05 22:36                   ` Derek Fawcus
2003-12-05 17:34                 ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-05 17:35               ` Hua Zhong
2003-12-05 18:12                 ` Filip Van Raemdonck
2003-12-05 18:37                   ` Hua Zhong
2003-12-05 19:56                     ` 'Filip Van Raemdonck'
2003-12-05 20:26                       ` Hua Zhong
2003-12-06  0:08                         ` Filip Van Raemdonck
2003-12-05 19:55               ` David Schwartz
2003-12-05 20:14                 ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-05 21:16                   ` Shawn Willden
2003-12-08 15:38                 ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-05 14:59             ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-05 19:15               ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-05 18:44           ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-05 19:09             ` Valdis.Kletnieks
2003-12-05 19:22               ` Arjan van de Ven
2003-12-10 13:52                 ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 15:18                   ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 15:32                     ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-10 16:21                       ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 16:34                         ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-10 17:10                           ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 17:25                             ` Chris Friesen
2003-12-10 17:58                               ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 17:56                             ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-10 18:02                               ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 18:08                                 ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-10 18:17                                   ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 18:38                                     ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-10 19:15                                       ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 18:37                                   ` Jan-Benedict Glaw
2003-12-10 19:51                                 ` Hua Zhong
2003-12-10 20:09                                 ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-11  1:24                               ` Andrew Pimlott
2003-12-11  7:43                               ` Rob Landley
2003-12-11  8:11                                 ` Hua Zhong
2003-12-11  8:37                                   ` Rob Landley
2003-12-11 18:22                                     ` Hua Zhong
2003-12-11 21:20                                     ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-11 21:59                                       ` Rob Landley
2003-12-11 22:42                                         ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-12  5:39                                           ` Rob Landley
2003-12-12  7:21                                             ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-12  7:39                                               ` Rob Landley
2003-12-12  7:56                                                 ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-12  9:27                                                   ` Rob Landley
2003-12-10 18:14                             ` David Schwartz
2003-12-10 18:21                               ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 19:48                             ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-11  7:32                           ` Rob Landley
2003-12-11 14:03                             ` Geert Uytterhoeven
2003-12-10 22:49                         ` Oliver Hunt
2003-12-10 17:15                     ` Hua Zhong
2003-12-10 17:42                       ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 19:32                         ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 22:43                           ` Jason Kingsland
2003-12-10 22:49                             ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 23:11                           ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 23:24                             ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 19:48                         ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-10 21:15                           ` viro
2003-12-10 22:36                             ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-10 23:13                               ` viro
2003-12-11 15:29                               ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-11 18:47                                 ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-11 18:55                                   ` Nick Piggin
2003-12-11 22:18                                   ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-10 22:18                           ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-10 22:25                             ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 23:38                             ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-11  1:03                               ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-11 14:46                                 ` Ingo Molnar
2003-12-10 23:39                             ` Andrea Arcangeli
2003-12-11 17:44                             ` Robin Rosenberg
2003-12-11 17:56                               ` Valdis.Kletnieks
2003-12-11 18:16                                 ` Nick Piggin
2003-12-11 18:50                                 ` Mihai RUSU
2003-12-11 18:37                               ` David Schwartz
2003-12-11 12:04                         ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-10 17:49                       ` Jörn Engel
2003-12-10 18:16                     ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-05 19:25               ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-05 19:26             ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-05 15:50         ` Valdis.Kletnieks
2003-12-05 18:44         ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-06  0:02           ` Maciej Zenczykowski
2003-12-05 18:44       ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-10 13:16       ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 15:02         ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-10 20:37           ` Theodore Ts'o
2003-12-11 16:26             ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-05 13:52   ` Richard B. Johnson
2003-12-05  0:09 ` Oliver Hunt
2003-12-05 10:55   ` Russell King
2003-12-05  0:46 ` Erik Andersen
2003-12-05  0:58   ` Zwane Mwaikambo
2003-12-05  1:03     ` Erik Andersen
2003-12-05  1:21       ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-05  1:30         ` Hua Zhong
2003-12-05  1:58         ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-06  3:00           ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-06  4:39             ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-06  5:14               ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-06  5:48                 ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-06 17:14                   ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-06 15:38                 ` Theodore Ts'o
2003-12-06 16:47                   ` Jason Kingsland
2003-12-06 21:30                   ` David Schwartz
2003-12-06 21:42                     ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-07 13:01               ` Ingo Molnar
2003-12-07 22:11                 ` Rob Landley
2003-12-06 14:13             ` Andrew Pimlott
2003-12-06 17:50               ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-06 21:19                 ` Theodore Ts'o
2003-12-06 21:45                   ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-08 16:34                 ` Andrew Pimlott
2003-12-11 12:37           ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-11 12:42             ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-11 12:58               ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-12 20:26                 ` Brian Beattie
2003-12-13 12:03                   ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-13 15:04                     ` jeff millar
2003-12-13 17:27                     ` Gene Heskett
2003-12-11 13:54             ` Andrew Pimlott
2003-12-11 15:12               ` David Woodhouse
2003-12-05  3:58         ` Jason Kingsland
2003-12-05  1:58   ` David Schwartz
2003-12-05  4:58     ` Erik Andersen
2003-12-05  6:34       ` David Schwartz
2003-12-05  6:43         ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-05  2:07   ` Kendall Bennett
2003-12-05  7:39     ` Stefan Smietanowski
2003-12-05  1:47 ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 12:57   ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-10 15:14     ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-10 15:25       ` Larry McVoy
2003-12-10 18:58         ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-12 19:40     ` Pavel Machek
2003-12-12 22:08       ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-12 23:06         ` Jamie Lokier
2003-12-12 23:43         ` Pavel Machek
2003-12-15 18:01     ` Adam Sampson
2003-12-15 21:12       ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-05 11:35 Adam J. Richter
2003-12-05 11:25 ` David Schwartz
2003-12-05 15:36   ` Valdis.Kletnieks
     [not found] <732BE51FE9901143AE04411A11CC465602F155F3@evtexc02.tc.fluke.com>
2003-12-05 17:05 ` David Dyck
2003-12-05 18:51   ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-05 22:43 gary ng
2003-12-05 23:11 ` Linus Torvalds
2003-12-06  0:07   ` gary ng
2003-12-06 12:31 Matt
2003-12-07  2:34 gary ng
2003-12-08 16:08 ` Alex Bennee
2003-12-08 16:26   ` gary ng
2003-12-09  6:20 Paul Zimmerman
2003-12-09 13:22 ` Andrew Walrond
2003-12-09 14:12   ` Dale Whitchurch
2003-12-09 20:47     ` bill davidsen
2003-12-09 23:47     ` David Schwartz
2003-12-10 14:30     ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-10 14:17 ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-10 16:10   ` Richard B. Johnson
2003-12-10 17:58   ` Andre Hedrick
2003-12-11 15:01     ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-10 19:06 Manfred Spraul
     [not found] <fa.go3ahvi.h68o2q@ifi.uio.no>
     [not found] ` <fa.nk4vl6d.g0181@ifi.uio.no>
2003-12-12  3:03   ` walt
2003-12-18  9:12 Randy Zagar
2003-12-18  9:51 ` Thorsten Glaser
2003-12-18  9:55 ` Daniel Newby
2003-12-18 14:24 ` Jesse Pollard
2003-12-19  7:56 ` Andre Hedrick

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