RE: GPL and NON GPL version modules

[Nutan C.]

Hi Jan,

So, if the proprietary code exposes an interface and if the code within
the GPL makes a call to that interface, will the proprietary code become
part of GPL. Please suggest

Regards,
Nutan

-----Original Message-----
From: Jan Engelhardt [mailto:jengelh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 5:39 PM
To: Srinivas G.
Cc: linux-kernel-Mailing-list; Fawad Lateef; jjoy@xxxxxxxxxx; Nutan C.;
Mukund JB.; gauravd.chd@xxxxxxxxx; bulb@xxxxxx; greg@xxxxxxxxx; Shakthi
Kannan
Subject: Re: GPL and NON GPL version modules

>
>If I have a module called module A which uses the GPL code and module B
>uses the NON GPL (proprietary) code. If the module A depends on module
>B, is it possible to load these modules?
>
Technically yes.

>Will it be violating any GPL Rules?
>

	[ big IANAL sticker ]

More or less. If my understanding of the GPL is correct, the "combined" 
thing (the kernel machinery, as in: the contents of your RAM) becomes
GPL. 
But since proprietary code involved, it's gets a hell lot more
complicated, 
since, obviously, you can't just GPLize proprietary code of others.



Jan Engelhardt
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