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On Wed, Dec 30, 2009 at 08:51:18PM -0800, Greg KH wrote: |
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> On Wed, Dec 30, 2009 at 06:43:47AM -0500, Richard Freeman wrote: |
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> > On 12/29/2009 07:52 PM, Greg KH wrote: |
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> >> No, the readme/copying is correct, it covers all of the code that runs |
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> >> on the processor as one body of work. Firmware blobs are different in |
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> >> that they do not run in the same processor, and can be of a different |
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> >> license. |
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> >> |
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> > |
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> > Yes, but they don't cover everything in the tarball. If I want to copy the |
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> > tarball, then I need to comply with the distribution license of the |
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> > tarball. That license isn't clearly advertised. It is a mix of a number |
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> > of licenses from GPL v2 to allowed-to-copy-without-modifications. |
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> |
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> No, you can copy that tarball just fine, and when you _distribute_ it, |
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> the GPLv2 applies to it. |
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Then I can distribute modified versions of the tarball, with altered |
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firmware, in direct violation of the license granted for that firmware, |
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just because it's allowed by the GPL? Seriously, you're saying the |
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license of the firmware doesn't matter. |
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|
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> > The processor that the software runs on is fairly irrelevant. |
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> |
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> Not true at all, why would you think that? Since when does a license |
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> cross a processor boundry? |
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When I copy the Linux kernel sources, all files are copied by a single |
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processor. This isn't about running the kernel. |
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> > In any case, I'm sure the kernel team will update the ebuild license string |
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> > appropriately - this is more of a debate for the LKML. I just don't think |
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> > that they've done a good job with it. Others are welcome to hold differing |
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> > opinions. :) |
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> |
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> You don't think the gentoo kernel team (of which I think I'm the |
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> longest-term member), or the Linux kernel developers (of which I am the |
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> actual person who put those images in the kernel back in the late |
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> 1990's after consulting many lawers, and Linus, on the issue) are doing |
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> a good job with this? |
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Please stop avoiding the issue. No one is saying the firmware is in |
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conflict with the GPL, or that distribution of the kernel is illegal. |
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The way it's distributed is fine. It's just not reflected properly in |
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Gentoo. |
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