Re: possible GPL violation involving linux kernel code

[ebiederm@xmission.com (Eric W. Biederman)]

Christoph Hellwig <hch@infradead.org> writes:

> On Sun, Apr 21, 2002 at 01:52:34AM -0500, Chris Abbey wrote:
> > Today, Christoph Hellwig wrote:
> > > Calm down
> > 
> > I am calm. As I said, I didn't want to post it, but that's the
> > best way to get word to the copyright holders, who are the only
> > ones that can act on any violations.
> 
> Blah.  First thing you'd do if you were serious would be to contact
> Promise.  If they have a support person that has a little more clue
> than their driver guys they'd point you to the OpenLinux kernel source
> RPM and you wouldn't even have to make so much noise.
> 
> > 
> > > - OpenLinux driver disks are supposed to contain the standard
> > > modules in addition to the new ones.  You can find your sources in
> > > /usr/src/linux.
> > 
> > Not on that floppy you don't, nor in the download that included the
> > floppy image, nor in any offer contained within that disk/image, nor
> > on promise's website along with that image.
> 
> Where the heck did you get the impression from that this is required by
> the GPL?
> 
> 	Christoph
GPL section 3

  3. You may copy and distribute the Program (or a work based on it,
under Section 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of
Sections 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following:

    a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable
    source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections
    1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

    b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three
    years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your
    cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete
    machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be
    distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium
    customarily used for software interchange; or,

    c) Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer
    to distribute corresponding source code.  (This alternative is
    allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you
    received the program in object code or executable form with such
    an offer, in accord with Subsection b above.)


Eric