Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S932871AbWLNRXD (ORCPT ); Thu, 14 Dec 2006 12:23:03 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S932873AbWLNRXC (ORCPT ); Thu, 14 Dec 2006 12:23:02 -0500 Received: from smtp.osdl.org ([65.172.181.25]:41170 "EHLO smtp.osdl.org" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S932871AbWLNRXB (ORCPT ); Thu, 14 Dec 2006 12:23:01 -0500 Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 09:22:42 -0800 (PST) From: Linus Torvalds To: Alan cc: "Michael K. Edwards" , Andrew Morton , Martin Bligh , Greg KH , linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: [GIT PATCH] more Driver core patches for 2.6.19 In-Reply-To: <20061213235500.1764d85e@localhost.localdomain> Message-ID: References: <20061213195226.GA6736@kroah.com> <20061213210219.GA9410@suse.de> <45807182.1060408@mbligh.org> <20061213134721.d8ff8c11.akpm@osdl.org> <20061213235500.1764d85e@localhost.localdomain> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 3459 Lines: 71 On Wed, 13 Dec 2006, Alan wrote: > > He only owns a small amount of the code. Furthermore he imported third > party GPL code using the license as sole permission. So he may have dug > a personal hole but many of the rest of us have been repeatedly saying > whenever he said that - that we do not agree. [ The "he" being me in the above ] Btw, I'd like to make it clear in this discussion too (as I have in others), that I agree 100% with Alan here. The thing is, my opinion is really just _my_ opinion. People shouldn't see it as anything else. When I say "I don't think we should totally disallow binary modules", you should always keep in mind that: - the fact that I think that _some_ binary modules may be perfectly legal does not mean that I think _all_ binary modules would be legal. I think there are lots of ways to make such a binary module that is obviously not ok. - I really _am_ just one of hundreds of copyright owners. The fact that _I_ am not necessarily all that eager to take things to court should in no way be seen as estoppel for _others_ who decide that they want to flex their legal rights. So when I "may have dug a personal hole", please realize that this is actually a personal - and conscious - choice. I've never wanted to do copyright assignments, for several reasons: I think they are nasty and wrong personally, and I'd hate all the paperwork, and I think it would actually detract from the development model. But one of the reasons I've never wanted copyright assignments is that I'm personally actually _more_ comfortable with the system being co-owned. I _like_ having my hands bound, and being in that hole. Not because of any strange sexual hangups either, but simply because I think being personally limited is something that makes people trust me more in the end - or rather, it is something that means that people don't _have_ to trust me. So people know that I can't unilaterally change the license. And they _know_ that they can actually take things to court on their own. AND THAT IS A GOOD THING. The last thing anybody _ever_ wants is to have me having absolute powers. Not you guys, and certainly not me. So you guys should always be happy, realizing that Linus may have his quirks, but that my quirks can't ever really screw you guys up. So I repeat: my opinions are _my_ opinions. Nobody else is legally bound by them. And I'm certainly willing to bend my behaviour in the presense of pressure (I think only mindless idiots can't change their mind - I personally change some of my opinions several times a day just to keep them fresh), but in somethign like this, where I _do_ have a fairly strong opinion, I really think that this kind of patch has to be merged in somebody elses tree than mine. If, after a year, it turns out that my tree is the only one that doesn't have that clause, I think I'll either get the hint, or people will realize that I'm pointless and will just ignore me. It will have taken you long enough to realize that ;) Because one of the great things about the GPL is that _nobody_ has the power to deny other peoples will. Not even me, not even for the kernel. Linus - 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/