Re: [PATCH] Keys: Export user-defined keyring operations

From: David Woodhouse
Date: Wed Oct 05 2005 - 08:33:27 EST


On Wed, 2005-10-05 at 13:02 +0200, Arjan van de Ven wrote:
> since this is new unique-to-linux functionality, could you please
> consider making the exports _GPL please?

What's the point? There can be no difference between the meaning of
EXPORT_SYMBOL() and EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL() anyway.

Â6 of the GPL says "You may not impose any further restrictions on the
recipients' exercise of the rights granted herein."

If there was really a meaningful difference between EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL()
and EXPORT_SYMBOL(), then the GPL _itself_ would forbid the use of
EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL() within the kernel, because that would impose
additional restrictions.

We should abolish the meaningless distinction between the two, because
it only encourages people to believe that EXPORT_SYMBOL() can be used
for non-GPL code. Either use EXPORT_SYMBOL() for everything, or switch
to EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL() for everything. It doesn't really matter.

--
dwmw2

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