Re: Additional clauses to GPL in network drivers

From: Xose Vazquez Perez
Date: Sun Dec 07 2003 - 12:17:22 EST


John Bradford wrote:

> "This file is not a complete program and may only be used when the
> entire operating system is licensed under the GPL".

to be more exact, it would have to say:

This file is not a complete program and may only be used when the
entire *derived work* is licensed under the GPL *version XX*

Or if you want be pedantic:

---cut---
NOTE! This copyright does *not* cover user programs that use kernel
services by normal system calls - this is merely considered normal use
of the kernel, and does *not* fall under the heading of "derived work".
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.

Also note that the only valid version of the GPL as far as the kernel
is concerned is _this_ particular version of the license (ie v2, not
v2.2 or v3.x or whatever), unless explicitly otherwise stated.
--end---
where '_this_' is linux/COPYING

BTW, there is in Kernel Janitor TODO list [1] an item to
place a GPL head on all source files.

Maybe, now that Torvalds is boring and waiting for akpm.
He could do this job ;-)

[1] http://alumno.inacap.cl/kj-wiki/bin/view/KJ/ToDo

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