Re: [PATCH/RFC] alternative aproach to: Ban module license tag string termination trick

From: Theodore Tso
Date: Sat Feb 03 2007 - 06:55:34 EST


On Sat, Feb 03, 2007 at 12:32:08PM +0100, Jan Engelhardt wrote:
> I strongly nak that. If you combine two object files (e.g. foo.o, bar.o)
> that have different licenses, the resulting object file (comb.o) IMHO
> constitutes a combined work, and hence the GPL should be applied to all of
> it. That obviously "does not work" - what good is a GPL comb.o file if you
> don't have the source to bar.o?

Gaaah. This is why it's a bad idea to try to attempt to do GPL
"enforcement" in kernel code. Your reasoning is totally bogus. GPL
is only about distribution, and if a user is building a standalone
module which they never distibute, the provisions of GPL won't apply,
since it's only about distribution, and a user who builds an ATI or
Nvidia module in the privacy of their own home won't be violating the
GPL.

- Ted
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