RE: Linux GPL and binary module exception clause?

Hua Zhong
2003-12-05T01:30:46Z

> But given that, neither Linus (nor any of you) get to say
> "well, that's fine for userland but drivers are derived works".

Indeed. Linus said nowadays kernel modules developed with Linux
specifically in mind are less likely to be considered "not a derived
work" as early days kernel modules.

However, how about user space programs designed specifically for Linux,
and even using Linux specific system calls?

It's definitely a grey area here, and it's not so clear that kernel-user
boundary is stronger than kernel-kernel boundary per se. :-)

Note kernel-user boundary is not just normal system calls. /proc, ioctl
(provided by kernel modules) are also part of it (which are system calls
too but they can be arbitrarily extended).