Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Tue, 31 Dec 2002 01:47:14 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Tue, 31 Dec 2002 01:47:14 -0500 Received: from mail.webmaster.com ([216.152.64.131]:32465 "EHLO shell.webmaster.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id convert rfc822-to-8bit; Tue, 31 Dec 2002 01:47:13 -0500 From: David Schwartz To: , , X-Mailer: PocoMail 2.63 (1077) - Licensed Version Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 22:55:35 -0800 In-Reply-To: <085e72754031fc2DTVMAIL12@smtp.cwctv.net> Subject: Re: Why is Nvidia given GPL'd code to use in closed source drivers? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT Message-ID: <20021231065537.AAA8309@shell.webmaster.com@whenever> Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 1917 Lines: 44 On Tue, 31 Dec 2002 03:57:06 +0000, Hell.Surfers@cwctv.net wrote: To respond first to your subject, GPL'd code is given to everyone to do what they wish with, subject to certain very specific and narrow limitations. >Why does the community continue to make pacts with a company that steals >from its rivals, makes pacts with M$, and refuses to clearly GPL and open >source its work on drivers, What type of "pact" are you talking about? >there is a clear difference between their use of >GPL files, and what the GPL says they can do. I presume you're talking about the inclusion of GPL'd header files into non-GPL'd code that is then distributed without source code? IMO, if the header file only includes things like structs and thin macros, that's insufficient to consider the compilation a derived work. You are welcome to argue for stronger and stronger copyright law enforcement and narrower and narrower constructions of fair use and first sale doctrines. However, IMO, it would be the stupidest possible thing the open source community could ever do. >You cannot expect embedded >kernel developers to GPL, if you excuse Nvidia, its a vain hope to grab M$ >users, but in the long run it destroys the community. I don't expect anyone to GPL unless they think they get more benefit from GPLing than the potential harm done. People GPL code because they want to 'donate' it to improve the open source movement, community, and code base. Attempting to arm twist such donations is worse than foolish. You think the open source community should be a bunch of bullies? Convince people open source is best, and avoid them if they don't agree. DS - 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/