Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 21:36:37 +0000
From: Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>
To: Daniel Hazelton <dhazelton@enter.net>
Cc: David Newall <davidn@davidnewall.com>,
       Marcel Holtmann <marcel@holtmann.org>, Greg KH <greg@kroah.com>,
       Christer Weinigel <christer@weinigel.se>, linux-usb@vger.kernel.org,
       linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] USB: mark USB drivers as being GPL only
Message-ID: <20080208213637.7abe50a0@core>
In-Reply-To: <200802081436.53928.dhazelton@enter.net>
References: <20080125180232.GA4613@kroah.com>
	<47ACA204.7030702@davidnewall.com>
	<47ACA8A5.9010807@davidnewall.com>
	<200802081436.53928.dhazelton@enter.net>
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> In other words "EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL" isn't his idea of "a good legal idea", but 
> people ignoring this and doing things that circumvent this will, eventually, 
> have problems with the people who hold the copyright on the code. (In 
> addition, he stated that circumventing the "EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL" bit might also 
> be in violation of the DMCA, but he isn't sure if a court would see it in the 
> same light as someone cracking the CSS key on a DVD expressly for the purpose 
> of creating pirated copies)

There was a good analysis of that argument on the list some time ago. I
think the conclusion was fairly definitively no as the GPL explicitly
gives the right to modify GPL code. You are therefore aready "authorised"
to make such a change.

It might have a significance in terms of intent but thats for lawyers to
argue over.

Alan
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