On 01/08/2010 12:26 AM, Greg KH wrote:
> If the kernel loads a firmware
> file that is not free, or if the device itself has a firmware in it that
> you can not change so easily, has _nothing_ to do with the license of
> the kernel,
>

I don't think anybody is concerned about the license of "the kernel", 
but rather the license of sys-kernel/gentoo-sources.  Gentoo-sources 
contains "the kernel" as well as a bunch of other stuff (documentation, 
firmware, etc).  It can only have a single license if EVERYTHING 
installed by the package is usable under that single license.

The LICENSE in an ebuild pertains to the package - not just to the 
largest component or majority of the package.  Very few people install 
gentoo-sources mainly to read the docs or get a firmware blob, but they 
are still there, and the license should reflect this.