[linux-dvb] Question about GPL & closed source drivers

[linux-dvb] Question about GPL & closed source drivers

[alan]

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Can Linux DVB project drivers derived from non-GPL closed source SDKs be distributed in binary form only legally? It seems most if not all of Linux-DVB is standard GPL. And if that requires driver source to be GPL'd as well, it seems like it closes the Linux community off a bit from companies wanting to provide driver support to Linux while still keeping trade secrets protected.

-Alan


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Re: [linux-dvb] Question about GPL & closed source drivers

[Steven Toth]

alan@alanlee.org wrote:
> 
> Can Linux DVB project drivers derived from non-GPL closed source SDKs be 
> distributed in binary form only legally?  It seems most if not all of 
> Linux-DVB is standard GPL.  And if that requires driver source to be 
> GPL'd as well, it seems like it closes the Linux community off a bit 
> from companies wanting to provide driver support to Linux while still 
> keeping trade secrets protected.

Correct.

See this: http://kerneltrap.org/node/1735

However, in most cases, the tv card vendors who don't provide open 
source drivers, or don't assist the community in building open source 
drivers are losing sales to their competitors.

- Steve






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