On Mon, Feb 26, 2001 at 09:30:54AM -0600, Thomas Dodd wrote:
> Ivan Jager wrote:
> >
> > I think this is the relevant part of the GPL, but you should still read
> > the whole license.
>
> Read Donald Becker's take on this. He wrote many of the NIC
> drivers in/for the linux kernel (including the DEC tulip driver)
>
> http://www.scyld.com/expert/license.html
That's an excellent statement. It makes it quite clear and looks like it
could stand up in court. I remember when Sun released the porting _kit_ that
would automagically port Linux drivers to Solaris. Mr. Becker was quite
adamant about it being a flagrant violation of the GPL license.
>
> Non-GPL drivers for the linux kerenl are allowed
> explicitly by Linus.
This is true. But it is not what the questioner was intending to do. The
questioner specifically stated the intent was to port a Linux device driver
to QNX.
There is an interesting consequence to Mr. Beckers interpretation. Any
driver, under any license, that links in with the Linux kernel becomes a
part of the _work_ which is the Linux kernel--and therefore is automagically
covered by the GPL. Linus has made the exception for NON-GPL drivers, but
that exception does not permit one to port and distribute Linux driver code
to NON-GPL OSs. Of course, if you don't distribute the code--you can do
whatever you want with it. (You surely concur. I just think it's important
to make this distinction explicit in conversations concerning these type
issues.)
c,
--
Karen Shaeffer
Neuralscape; Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060
[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.neuralscape.com
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