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From: "Tony 'Nicoya' Mantler" <nicoya@apia.dhs.org>
To: Jamie Lokier <jamie@shareable.org>, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: Using GPL'd Linux drivers with non-GPL, binary-only kernel
References: <20030506165014$3d57@gated-at.bofh.it> <20030506193019$0d29@gated-at.bofh.it> <20030506220018$5b96@gated-at.bofh.it>
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Date: Tue, 06 May 2003 20:17:56 -0500
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In article <20030506220018$5b96@gated-at.bofh.it>,
 Jamie Lokier <jamie@shareable.org> wrote:

: I do not see any practical alternative way to create a new kind of
: operating system kernel that is compatible with the wide range of PC
: hardware, other than:
: 
:   (a) read lots of open source code and then write drivers,
:       filesystems etc. from what is learned, or
:   (b) just use the available code with appropriate wrapping.
: 
: Both are lots of work.  But isn't (b) going to be less work?  I'm not
: sure.

If your interest is in creating a new and unique OS, you'll likely find that it 
becomes a great deal of work to try to glue the linux drivers into it.

I would imagine in the majority of cases you'd either have to change the driver 
code considerably to fit the subtleties of <newos>, or change the <newos> code 
considerably to fit the subtleties of linux.

When creating a new system, the last thing you want to have to do is carry 
around a bunch of extra baggage that you really don't need.

Anyways, this is 2003, aren't operating systems supposed to be boring by now? 
And where's my flying car damnit. ;)


To answer your question more directly, I think most developers would agree that 
the spirit of the GPL is "give as you take". If just releasing back the source 
to the modified drivers - completely useless without your new closed kernel - 
doesn't feel a whole lot like "giving", then you're probably not doing enough to 
keep people happy.


Cheers - Tony 'Nicoya' Mantler :)

-- 
Tony "Nicoya" Mantler - Renaissance Nerd Extraordinaire - nicoya@apia.dhs.org
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada           --           http://nicoya.feline.pp.se/
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