Re: [2.6 patch] binfmt_som.c: add MODULE_LICENSE

From: Adrian Bunk
Date: Mon Aug 11 2008 - 14:45:34 EST


On Mon, Aug 11, 2008 at 12:56:43PM -0400, John David Anglin wrote:
> > The toplevel COPYING file of the kernel sources contains the exact
> > licence text for all files (including binfmt_som.c) in the kernel.
>
> The COPYING file contains the license text but it doesn't say clearly
> what the license applies to. The closest thing to this is the statement
>
> Also note that the GPL below is copyrighted by the Free Software
> Foundation, but the instance of code that it refers to (the Linux
> kernel) is copyrighted by me and others who actually wrote it.
>
> in the COPYING file. The applicability of the GPL is parenthetical.
> The HOWTO file is more specific, but a clear license statement at the
> top level of the "source" tree is missing.

There's a file named COPYING at the top level, and a file named README
at the top level that says:

WHAT IS LINUX?
...
It is distributed under the GNU General Public License - see the
accompanying COPYING file for more details.


The GPLv2 licence on the Linux kernel is generally agreed upon
(whether one likes it or not is a different question, but all
contributors are aware that it applies) and has even been successfully
enforced at court, which makes your attempts of finding a way to
possibly interpret it differently kinda strange.


> Dave

cu
Adrian

--

"Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out
of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days.
"Only a promise," Lao Er said.
Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed

--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/