From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.0 (2014-02-07) on aws-us-west-2-korg-lkml-1.web.codeaurora.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-7.0 required=3.0 tests=BAYES_00, HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS,MAILING_LIST_MULTI,SIGNED_OFF_BY,SPF_HELO_NONE, SPF_PASS,URIBL_BLOCKED autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.0 Received: from mail.kernel.org (mail.kernel.org [198.145.29.99]) by smtp.lore.kernel.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3E83BC433DF for ; Fri, 14 Aug 2020 15:02:53 +0000 (UTC) Received: from vger.kernel.org (vger.kernel.org [23.128.96.18]) by mail.kernel.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0C786214F1 for ; Fri, 14 Aug 2020 15:02:53 +0000 (UTC) Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1726311AbgHNPCt (ORCPT ); Fri, 14 Aug 2020 11:02:49 -0400 Received: from mga17.intel.com ([192.55.52.151]:52475 "EHLO mga17.intel.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1726185AbgHNPCt (ORCPT ); Fri, 14 Aug 2020 11:02:49 -0400 IronPort-SDR: yTc4oJMMs6T19H2dus9sE7/mtRCz+kIaVflaS11oa6I2WiskHHlVL20m4MQjEyUXZcJ61oSVSR sUh8LgCGaquA== X-IronPort-AV: E=McAfee;i="6000,8403,9713"; a="134479554" X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="5.76,312,1592895600"; d="scan'208";a="134479554" X-Amp-Result: SKIPPED(no attachment in message) X-Amp-File-Uploaded: False Received: from fmsmga008.fm.intel.com ([10.253.24.58]) by fmsmga107.fm.intel.com with ESMTP/TLS/ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384; 14 Aug 2020 08:02:48 -0700 IronPort-SDR: G1mapDLae7K3C4DCu34RXjDxFZBentlIK6vniD71UBaPUSrwbX5APZifwfzLDDuAgotNAWOHaA uLY73rPw+UJw== X-ExtLoop1: 1 X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="5.76,312,1592895600"; d="scan'208";a="278414598" Received: from viggo.jf.intel.com (HELO localhost.localdomain) ([10.54.77.144]) by fmsmga008.fm.intel.com with ESMTP; 14 Aug 2020 08:02:48 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] [v2] Documentation: clarify driver licensing rules To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Cc: Dave Hansen , dan.j.williams@intel.com, h.peter.anvin@intel.com, tglx@linutronix.de, gregkh@linuxfoundation.org, corbet@lwn.net, linux-spdx@vger.kernel.org, linux-doc@vger.kernel.org From: Dave Hansen Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2020 07:56:25 -0700 Message-Id: <20200814145625.8B708079@viggo.jf.intel.com> Sender: linux-doc-owner@vger.kernel.org Precedence: bulk List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-doc@vger.kernel.org From: Dave Hansen Greg has challenged some recent driver submitters on their license choices. He was correct to do so, as the choices in these instances did not always advance the aims of the submitters. But, this left submitters (and the folks who help them pick licenses) a bit confused. They have read things like Documentation/process/license-rules.rst which says: individual source files can have a different license which is required to be compatible with the GPL-2.0 and Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst: We don't insist on any kind of exclusive GPL licensing, and if you wish ... you may well wish to release under multiple licenses. As written, these appear a _bit_ more laissez faire than we've been in practice lately. It sounds like we at least expect submitters to make a well-reasoned license choice and to explain their rationale. It does not appear that we blindly accept anything that is simply GPLv2-compatible. Drivers appear to be the most acute source of misunderstanding, so fix the driver documentation first. Update it to clarify expectations. Signed-off-by: Dave Hansen Cc: Dan Williams Cc: H. Peter Anvin Cc: Thomas Gleixner Cc: Greg Kroah-Hartman Cc: Jonathan Corbet Cc: linux-spdx@vger.kernel.org Cc: linux-doc@vger.kernel.org Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org -- Changes from v1: * Remove mention of maintainers enforcing particular license choices. * Change the wording to ensure that folks understand that the trigger that requires an explanation is not multiple licenses per se, but non-GPL licenses. You could argue that GPLv2-or-later is multiple liceses, for instance. --- b/Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst | 9 +++++---- 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-) diff -puN Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst~clarify-dual-licensing Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst --- a/Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst~clarify-dual-licensing 2020-08-14 07:42:06.300480229 -0700 +++ b/Documentation/process/submitting-drivers.rst 2020-08-14 07:53:10.373478573 -0700 @@ -60,10 +60,11 @@ What Criteria Determine Acceptance Licensing: The code must be released to us under the - GNU General Public License. We don't insist on any kind - of exclusive GPL licensing, and if you wish the driver - to be useful to other communities such as BSD you may well - wish to release under multiple licenses. + GNU General Public License. If you wish the driver to be + useful to other communities such as BSD you may release + under multiple licenses. If you choose to release under + licenses other than the GPL, you should include your + rationale for your license choices in your cover letter. See accepted licenses at include/linux/module.h Copyright: _