Re: [PATCH] USB: mark USB drivers as being GPL only

Hans-Jürgen Koch
2008-02-07T14:06:40Z

Am Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:49:42 +1030
schrieb David Newall <davidn@davidnewall.com>:

> Hans-Jürgen Koch wrote:
> > If somebody prefers an other OS for license reasons only, let them.
> > You cannot have open source software without open source license.
> > If a company chooses Linux, they do it for technical reasons, and
> > because they're able to modify the sources to suit their needs.
> > Whatever advantages they see in Linux, they have to know that they
> > have to accept its license. Just saying "I like your software but
> > your license is stupid" is childish. Use CE instead.
>
> Nobody is saying "I don't like your licence." The issue is a
> technical restriction in Linux that attempts to restrict non-GPL
> software from running under it.

What are you trying to say? You like the license but you're against
enforcing it?

> It's a bullish approach, technically incompetent,

What's incompetent?

> legally meaningless

It is not legally meaningless if copyright holders publicly state how
they interpret the license and what they consider a license violation.
In the end, a court must decide, but lots of courts will at least look
at the statements the copyright holders made over the years.

> and politically damaging.

That's your opinion because it's damaging _your_ political goals.

Hans