Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1751865AbWLNIA5 (ORCPT ); Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:00:57 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1751886AbWLNIA5 (ORCPT ); Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:00:57 -0500 Received: from mail1.webmaster.com ([216.152.64.169]:3015 "EHLO mail1.webmaster.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1751865AbWLNIA4 (ORCPT ); Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:00:56 -0500 X-Greylist: delayed 325 seconds by postgrey-1.27 at vger.kernel.org; Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:00:56 EST From: "David Schwartz" To: "Linux-Kernel@Vger. Kernel. Org" Subject: RE: GPL only modules [was Re: [GIT PATCH] more Driver core patches for 2.6.19] Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 23:54:26 -0800 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.6604 (9.0.2911.0) Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 In-Reply-To: <20061214005532.GA12790@suse.de> X-Authenticated-Sender: joelkatz@webmaster.com X-Spam-Processed: mail1.webmaster.com, Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:57:46 -0800 (not processed: message from trusted or authenticated source) X-MDRemoteIP: 206.171.168.138 X-Return-Path: davids@webmaster.com X-MDaemon-Deliver-To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Reply-To: davids@webmaster.com X-MDAV-Processed: mail1.webmaster.com, Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:57:47 -0800 Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 1542 Lines: 39 > Someone also mentioned that we could just put a nice poem into the > kernel module image in order to be able to enforce our copyright license > in any court of law. > > Full bellies of fish > Penguins sleep under the moon > Dream of wings that fly > > thanks, Whoever says that has no understanding of copyright law. Copyright law *only* protects something when there are a large number of equally-good ways to accomplish the same thing. If there is only one way to accomplish a particular function, it cannot be protected by copyright. The Lexmark v. Static Controls case made this pretty clear. Lexmark did pretty much the same thing with their toner cartridges. You cannot copyright a password to get the effect of a patent (ownership of every way to accomplish a particular function). By the way, the GPL seems to prohibit this. Why is this not an "additional restriction"? Where does the GPL say that you cannot create and use a derivative work unless you put a notice in it stating that it is licensed under the GPL? I agree with Linus that this is insane hypocrisy. To be totally blunt, the want to do this -- to control the way other people use the works they own -- is the same evil impulse that drives the RIAA. Shame on you. It's supposed to be about free as in freedom. 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/