Re: [net-next PATCH v3 05/11] net: pcs: lynx: Convert to an MDIO driver

Daniel Golle
2025-05-06T23:57:01Z

On Wed, May 07, 2025 at 01:18:34AM +0300, Vladimir Oltean wrote:
> On Tue, May 06, 2025 at 06:03:35PM -0400, Sean Anderson wrote:
> > On 5/6/25 17:58, Vladimir Oltean wrote:
> > > Hello Sean,
> > >
> > > On Tue, Apr 15, 2025 at 03:33:17PM -0400, Sean Anderson wrote:
> > >> diff --git a/drivers/net/pcs/pcs-lynx.c b/drivers/net/pcs/pcs-lynx.c
> > >> index 23b40e9eacbb..bacba1dd52e2 100644
> > >> --- a/drivers/net/pcs/pcs-lynx.c
> > >> +++ b/drivers/net/pcs/pcs-lynx.c
> > >> @@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
> > >> -// SPDX-License-Identifier: (GPL-2.0+ OR BSD-3-Clause)
> > >> -/* Copyright 2020 NXP
> > >> +// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+
> > >> +/* Copyright (C) 2022 Sean Anderson <seanga2@gmail.com>
> > >> + * Copyright 2020 NXP
> > >> * Lynx PCS MDIO helpers
> > >> */
> > >>
> > >> -MODULE_DESCRIPTION("NXP Lynx PCS phylink library");
> > >> -MODULE_LICENSE("Dual BSD/GPL");
> > >> +MODULE_DESCRIPTION("NXP Lynx PCS phylink driver");
> > >> +MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
> > >
> > > What's the idea with the license change for this code?
> >
> > I would like to license my contributions under the GPL in order to
> > ensure that they remain free software.
> >
> > --Sean
>
> But in the process, you are relicensing code which is not yours.
> Do you have agreement from the copyright owners of this file that the
> license can be changed?
>

I think there is a misunderstanding here.

Of course the licence for the file remains dual BSD-3-Clause and GPL-2.0+ up
to the change Sean wants to contribute. However, as he only permits GPL-2.0+
the file after applying the change would then only be covered by GPL-2.0+ and
no longer by BSD-3-Clause. Legally speaking there is no need to ask any of the
previous authors for permission because they already agreed on having the
code under GPL-2.0+ **OR** BSD-3-Clause, which means that everyone is free
to distribute it under GPL-2.0+ (which is already the case when distributing
it along with the Linux Kernel, obviously). Only netdev maintainers need to
agree to drop the BSD-3-Clause licence **from future versions including his
changes**, and there are obviously reasons for and against that.