Subject: Re: Using GPL'd Linux drivers with non-GPL, binary-only kernel
From: Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>
To: Jamie Lokier <jamie@shareable.org>
Cc: Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
In-Reply-To: <20030506185433.GA6023@mail.jlokier.co.uk>
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Date: 06 May 2003 20:53:14 +0100
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> What if this new-fangled other kernel is open source, but BSD license
> instead?  Would that also anger the kernel developers?  (As I suspect
> a closed-source binary kernel would, even if one could get away with it).

Then the combined result would be a GPL'd product. You can do that now.
Add BSD code to GPL and the result comes out GPL.

> Then, you can (a) rewrite everything, using the knowledge you gained
> from reading the various open source drivers, or (b) just use those
> drivers, and save a lot of effort.

The GPL says "you can use them if your final new result is GPL", the BSD
world says "Hey go do it, just say thanks". Its probably a lot simpler
to use the FreeBSD code if you don't want a GPL result.

For myself I'd be willing to discuss relicensing code in some cases but
there is little that has a single author. 

Alan

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