Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S932119AbYBGNlX (ORCPT ); Thu, 7 Feb 2008 08:41:23 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1755516AbYBGNlN (ORCPT ); Thu, 7 Feb 2008 08:41:13 -0500 Received: from hawking.rebel.net.au ([203.20.69.83]:34839 "EHLO hawking.rebel.net.au" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1754702AbYBGNlM (ORCPT ); Thu, 7 Feb 2008 08:41:12 -0500 Message-ID: <47AB0A76.3000404@davidnewall.com> Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:11:10 +1030 From: David Newall User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.6 (X11/20071022) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Marcel Holtmann CC: Pekka Enberg , Greg KH , Christer Weinigel , linux-usb@vger.kernel.org, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: [PATCH] USB: mark USB drivers as being GPL only References: <20080125180232.GA4613@kroah.com> <20080202123710.42df1aa0@weinigel.se> <20080202191930.GA19826@kroah.com> <47A5D9CD.5070001@davidnewall.com> <84144f020802030743j1278ac64j2ee3e2cbc5c3fefc@mail.gmail.com> <47A5E67D.9040804@davidnewall.com> <84144f020802030848v160253feoa24c5ecefc7c91f5@mail.gmail.com> <1202240590.15090.119.camel@violet> In-Reply-To: <1202240590.15090.119.camel@violet> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 1100 Lines: 26 Marcel Holtmann wrote: > Hi David, > > >>> I think you're missing my point: as long as the license stays the way >>> it is now, you can never distribute proprietary code unless you've >>> consulted a lawyer and even then you run the risk of being sued for >>> infringement if the copyright holder thinks what you have is derived >>> work. >>> >> Yes I can, if the proprietary code is not linked with GPL code (and the >> proprietary code is original). Loadable modules are not linked. This is a >> very clear-cut case. >> > > that is not clear-cut case. You link at run-time. Otherwise the module > would do nothing. That's why it's allowed. The module isn't linked when it's distributed, and the author doesn't do or cause the linking; the user does. And the user never distributes in the linked state. Distribution is key to GPL. -- 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/