From: "Chris Friesen" <cfriesen@nortel.com>
To: Kaz Kylheku <kkylheku@gmail.com>
Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: GPL question: using large contiguous memory in proprietary driver.
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:21:12 -0600 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <48F55398.10005@nortel.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <3f43f78b0810141623s4282f9eof87014d2dee17810@mail.gmail.com>
Kaz Kylheku wrote:
> On Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 3:12 PM, Chris Friesen <cfriesen@nortel.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Kaz Kylheku wrote:
>>
>>
>>> I have the following question. Suppose that some proprietary
>>> driver (otherwise completely clean, based only on non-GPL
>>> symbols)
>>
>> The fact that it's not using GPL symbols does not actually mean
>> that the driver is not a derivative work of the kernel (and thus
>> subject to the GPL).
>
>
> But thanks to the gracious tolerance of the kernel development
> community, such drivers are permitted to exist.
If you're thinking of something like the Nvidia driver, the binary
portion of that driver is cross-platform and is not a derivative work of
the kernel.
If you sit down and write a new driver for linux, is is arguable that it
is in fact a derivative work of the kernel and is thus subject to the GPL.
This may of course vary based on location, but I strongly suggest that
you consult suitable legal advice before proceeding.
Chris
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2008-10-15 2:22 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 14+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2008-10-14 21:56 GPL question: using large contiguous memory in proprietary driver Kaz Kylheku
2008-10-14 22:05 ` Peter Zijlstra
2008-10-14 22:10 ` Alexey Dobriyan
2008-10-14 23:18 ` Kaz Kylheku
2008-10-14 22:12 ` Chris Friesen
2008-10-14 23:23 ` Kaz Kylheku
2008-10-15 2:21 ` Chris Friesen [this message]
2008-10-15 5:23 ` David Newall
2008-10-15 5:30 ` Adrian Bunk
2008-10-15 9:05 ` Alan Cox
2008-10-15 13:21 ` John Stoffel
2008-10-14 23:39 ` Kaz Kylheku
2008-10-15 11:26 ` Nick Piggin
2008-10-15 13:54 ` Mark Hounschell
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