Re: [PATCH 1/2] firmware: Correct attribution of Sierra Wireless CIS files

[Ben Hutchings <ben@decadent.org.uk>]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1452 bytes --]

On Fri, 2010-03-05 at 20:33 +0900, Ken Kawasaki wrote:
> 
> > The only source I can find for these files is
> > <http://www.sierrawireless.com/resources/faq/PC_Card/AirCard555/Aircard_Linux.tar> linked from <https://sierrawireless.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/179/kw/linux>.
> > 
> 
> SierraWireless provides the CIS by GPL (see URL below).
>
> http://sierrawireless.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/203/related/1/sno/0

The text 'GNU General Public License' links to GPL version *3*, and
would also have done so in 2008 when that page was apparently first
published.

> Yes. The files below are not developed by the pcmcia-cs project
> but provided by SierraWireless.

So, assuming that these files are copyrightable, your patch to add them
violated the conditions of the licence on at least three grounds:

1. The Linux source tree does not include a copy of the GPL version 3
2. These files are identified as licenced under 'GPL' which in the
context of Linux implies version 2
3. The copyright holder is not identified correctly

To avoid confusing people, I do not think we should add a copy of GPLv3
to the tree.  I will therefore submit a patch to remove these files.  I
will submit a separate patch for linux-firmware to fix copyright
information there.

Ben.

-- 
Ben Hutchings
Q.  Which is the greater problem in the world today, ignorance or apathy?
A.  I don't know and I couldn't care less.

[-- Attachment #2: This is a digitally signed message part --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 828 bytes --]