Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1751371AbXBUXv1 (ORCPT ); Wed, 21 Feb 2007 18:51:27 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1751373AbXBUXv1 (ORCPT ); Wed, 21 Feb 2007 18:51:27 -0500 Received: from warden-p.diginsite.com ([208.29.163.248]:62662 "HELO warden.diginsite.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-FAIL) by vger.kernel.org with SMTP id S1751371AbXBUXv0 (ORCPT ); Wed, 21 Feb 2007 18:51:26 -0500 Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 15:34:11 -0800 (PST) From: David Lang X-X-Sender: dlang@dlang.diginsite.com To: "Michael K. Edwards" cc: davids@webmaster.com, v j , trent.waddington@gmail.com, "Linux-Kernel@Vger. Kernel. Org" , Neil Brown Subject: Re: GPL vs non-GPL device drivers In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References: <3d57814d0702191458l1021caeyaefd7775398c5f2a@mail.gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 1295 Lines: 27 On Wed, 21 Feb 2007, Michael K. Edwards wrote: > But wait, you say -- the Evil Linker modified, copied, and distributed > my POP server too! That makes him subject to the terms of the GPL. > And you're right; but to understand what that means, you're going to > need to understand how a lawsuit for copyright infringement works. > The very, very, very concise version is: I understand why you say that the Evil Linker's program isn't covered by the GPL, but your argument makes it sound like the modified POP server doesn't need to have it's source released. This I don't understand, it contains the origional source code, so what right does Evil Linker have to distribute it (or a modified version). you are comeing dangerously close to saying that the GPL is meaningless and putting something under it is the same as putting it under public domain. There is case law now that says that this isn't the case (although I agree that it's not nearly as broad as it's proponents would like it to be) David Lang - 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/