Gentoo Archives: gentoo-dev

From: Greg KH <gregkh@g.o>
To: gentoo-dev@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-dev] Non-free software in Gentoo
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:53:40
Message-Id: 20091231045142.GC28130@kroah.com
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-dev] Non-free software in Gentoo by Richard Freeman
1 On Wed, Dec 30, 2009 at 06:43:47AM -0500, Richard Freeman wrote:
2 > On 12/29/2009 07:52 PM, Greg KH wrote:
3 >> No, the readme/copying is correct, it covers all of the code that runs
4 >> on the processor as one body of work. Firmware blobs are different in
5 >> that they do not run in the same processor, and can be of a different
6 >> license.
7 >>
8 >
9 > Yes, but they don't cover everything in the tarball. If I want to copy the
10 > tarball, then I need to comply with the distribution license of the
11 > tarball. That license isn't clearly advertised. It is a mix of a number
12 > of licenses from GPL v2 to allowed-to-copy-without-modifications.
13
14 No, you can copy that tarball just fine, and when you _distribute_ it,
15 the GPLv2 applies to it.
16
17 > The processor that the software runs on is fairly irrelevant.
18
19 Not true at all, why would you think that? Since when does a license
20 cross a processor boundry?
21
22 > In any case, I'm sure the kernel team will update the ebuild license string
23 > appropriately - this is more of a debate for the LKML. I just don't think
24 > that they've done a good job with it. Others are welcome to hold differing
25 > opinions. :)
26
27 You don't think the gentoo kernel team (of which I think I'm the
28 longest-term member), or the Linux kernel developers (of which I am the
29 actual person who put those images in the kernel back in the late
30 1990's after consulting many lawers, and Linus, on the issue) are doing
31 a good job with this?
32
33 thanks,
34
35 greg k-h

Replies

Subject Author
Re: [gentoo-dev] Non-free software in Gentoo "Harald van Dijk" <truedfx@g.o>