Re: Can't use SYSFS for "Proprietry" driver modules !!!.

Olivier Galibert
2005-03-30T14:16:00Z

On Tue, Mar 29, 2005 at 11:00:30AM -0800, David Schwartz wrote:
> Since the GPL permits their removal, removing them cannot be circumventing
> the GPL. Since the GPL is the only license and the license permits you to
> remove them, they cannot be a license enforcement mechanism. How can you
> enforce a license that permits unrestricted functional modification?

You misunderstand totally the EXPORT_GPL system. It does not mean
"this is a technological system to prevent you to use it with non-gpl
compatible code". It means "The author of that code consider that
using this function makes your code so linux-specific that it must be
a derivative work of the code implementing the function, so if you use
it from non gpl-compatible code you'll be sued. And since he's nice,
he uses a technical method to prevent you from doing such a copyright
violation by mistake.".

See the subtle difference? EXPORT_GPL is here to _help_ proprietary
driver authors. Your lawyers should _love_ it and skin you alive if
you try to get around it.

OG.