Re: Dual-Licensing Linux Kernel with GPL V2 and GPL V3

Daniel Hazelton
2007-06-17T03:10:44Z

On Saturday 16 June 2007 21:54:56 Alexandre Oliva wrote:
> On Jun 16, 2007, Bron Gondwana <brong@fastmail.fm> wrote:
> > I obviously wasn't clear enough. The only way to come into complience
> > with GPL3dd4 is to reduce your ability to fix things or grant everyone
> > else the ability to mess with things. This severely restricts you from
> > doing _anything_ in certain problem spaces due to local laws on the
> > topic, even if you're an otherwise good actor who is making worthwhile
> > source code contributions to the rest of the community.
>
> I don't know any law that requires tivoization.
>
> There may be laws that require certification or limitations on the
> user. Manufacturer giving up the ability to make modifications would
> address this, or *perhaps* arranging for user and manufacturer to each
> hold half of the key needed to run a modification (which might comply
> with the GPLv3dd4 terms, IANAL).

It doesn't. The GPLv3 (dd4) makes that very clear. See the quote below.

"Installation Information" for a User Product means any methods, procedures,
authorization keys, or other information required to install and execute
modified versions of a covered work in that User Product from a modified
version of its Corresponding Source. The information must suffice to ensure
that the continued functioning of the modified object code is in no case
prevented or interfered with solely because modification has been made.

DRH

> There may be business models that require the ability to make changes.
> Then it's fair to enable the user to make changes as well, such that
> they don't become dependent on the vendor, or even have their
> 1st-generation TiVo boxes left out in the cold for a while when the US
> changes the DST rules again ;-)

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