Re: Summarizing the PWC driver questions/answers

[Ian Romanick <idr@us.ibm.com>]

Wouter Van Hemel wrote:

> On Fri, 27 Aug 2004, David Woodhouse wrote:
> 
>> Again, that is intentional. People are free to go use BSD if the GPL is
>> not compatible with their desires. Or Windows, perhaps.
>>
>> People seem to be whining that Linux is released under the GPL instead
>> of a BSD licence. Perhaps the users concerned should be gently
>> encouraged to go elsewhere?
> 
> Very constructive. If you would use this zealotry energy in getting 
> results from Philips, we might not be here arguing. I get the feeling 
> some seem to think of the removal of this popular driver as a 
> *contribution* to Linux. This attitude contributes nothing to Linux. If 
> you don't like a partially binary driver, then I suggest you, too, 
> contact Philips instead of turning on your own users and contributors, 
> or fighting with driver maintainers that simply can't change the world 
> to fit your wishes. We are all in this mess, we all want good working 
> drivers, preferably opensource.

You've got things a little out of perspective.

1. Linux does not serve Philips.
2. Philips does not serve Linux.

Can we agree on that much?

3. Linux's licensing (i.e., the GPL) does not allow partial 
closed-source drivers.

You can agree or disagree with that until your face falls off.  That is 
the way that it is.  Allowing a license violation to continue would set 
a bad precedent that goes beyond open-source dogma.  It has nothing to 
do with zealotry.  It *is* a legal issue.  You're not free to pick and 
choose the parts of the license you like or don't like.  Using a 
license, ANY license, is like being pregnant:  there is no half-way.

4. Philips serves *its* customers.

The logical conclusion is that, one way or another, Philips needs to 
make a driver available that is compatible with Linux's licensing.  It 
can do that or decide that it doesn't care about its customers that use 
Linux.  The license really doesn't leave room for a third option.

Further bickering about it here is an exercise in futility.