Re: [ANNOUNCE] DSFS Network Forensic File System for Linux Patches

[Jeff V. Merkey]

Rik van Riel wrote:

> On Wed, 31 Aug 2005, Jeff V. Merkey wrote:
>
>  
>
> > The Core File System code is a separate proprietary module and is not 
> > released under the GPL
> >    
>
> Are you going to post an analysis on the legality of this
> on merkeylaw.com ? ;)
>
>  
I am very open to discussions of this. Please go ahead and argue the 
merits of GPL vs. proprietary code. DSFS is platform
neutral and will also run on Windows XP/2000/2003/Longhorn and Free BSD. 
It uses no kernel headers or kernel
files.

I have always taken the position that the GPL does not convert IP 
ownership. Since DSFS is hardware specific to
our platforms, I do not believe it entails any issues with the GPL, and 
it uses published exports from the Linux kernel.
The GPL also confers right to copy == copyright under US copyright laws. 
I don't believe that app vendors infringe
the GPL on Linux. This is just another app, and I have disclosed and 
published all GPL code affected.

The GPL terms that require GPL conversion of any code that runs on Linux 
is not supported by US Law. Many would
disagree, but that's OK. In short, it's just like any other proprietary 
app running on Linux. If it uses no Linux code (which
it does not), then the GPL does not apply to it .

Jeff




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