Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S932317AbVIEQcX (ORCPT ); Mon, 5 Sep 2005 12:32:23 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S932332AbVIEQcX (ORCPT ); Mon, 5 Sep 2005 12:32:23 -0400 Received: from [81.2.110.250] ([81.2.110.250]:62357 "EHLO lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S932317AbVIEQcU (ORCPT ); Mon, 5 Sep 2005 12:32:20 -0400 Subject: Re: [ANNOUNCE] DSFS Network Forensic File System for Linux Patches From: Alan Cox To: Bernd Eckenfels Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org In-Reply-To: References: Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Date: Sun, 04 Sep 2005 09:45:31 +0100 Message-Id: <1125823531.23858.16.camel@localhost.localdomain> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.2.2 (2.2.2-5) Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 1225 Lines: 29 On Sad, 2005-09-03 at 23:26 +0200, Bernd Eckenfels wrote: > Loading a non-GPL (tagged) module leads in tainting the kernel (which basically > is a flag for developers to be alerted while debugging), is that right? Correct, although some administrators find it useful too > Non GPL Modules are also restrited in the number of symbols they can use, > this is to make it harder to derive work from the Linux Kernel with a ABI > interface. Non GPL modules are required not to be derivative works (a term of law). The EXPORT_SYMBOL information is merely advisory to help seperate symbols. In many cases its purely historical as to whether a symbol is marked _GPL or not. If a work is derivative of another GPL work by any means then the GPL applies to it. If it is not then the GPL has no power over it because the GPL is a copyright based license. The law itself circumscribes the power of such licenses and their reach. And no doubt German law could be totally different. Alan - 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/