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Let me add some text I wrote for another place but that explains how things |
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would work: |
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|
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1) The OpenSource definition http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.php |
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section 9 makes it very clear that an OSS license must not restrict other |
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software and must not prevent to bundle different works under different |
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licenses on one medium. |
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|
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2) given the fact that the GPL is an aproved OSS licensse, it obviously |
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complies with the OSS definition. |
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|
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3) as a result, any GPL interpretation that is based on the assumption that a |
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separate distribution would fix problems is wrong. |
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|
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There is a simple rule: |
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|
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- If you modify a GPLd work by your own, so that all you add was written |
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by you for this modification only, then you created a "derivative work" |
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and you need to put your modifications under GPL. |
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|
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- If you add another independent work to a GPLd work, you create a so |
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called "collective work". This is permitted by the GPL. In this case, |
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the GPL only applies to the GPLd part and the license for the other |
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work applies to the other work. You need to respect the sum of all |
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claims from all licenses in this case. Such a collective work can only |
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be distributed if the claims from the licenses are not contradicting. |
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If one license e.g. permits redistribution on Mondays only and the |
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other permits redistribution on Wednesdays only, you cannot publish |
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the collective work. |
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|
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ZFS is an independent work with respect to the Linx kernel. It was not |
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written for or with the Linux kernel. |
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|
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- If like to you add ZFS to the Linux kernel, you first need to create a |
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derivative work from ZFS and another derivative work from the Linux |
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kernel in order to allow both to work together. You later create a |
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collective work from the combination of the derivative works mentioned |
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before. The modification in the ZFS code (in case they appear in |
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files that come with ZFS) need to be put under CDDL, the modifications |
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in the Linux kernel need to be put under GPL. |
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|
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Note: the GPLv3 tries to disallow most collective works, so be careful with |
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GPLv3. |
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|
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Jörg |
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|
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-- |
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EMail:joerg@××××××××××××××××××××××××.de (home) Jörg Schilling D-13353 Berlin |
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js@××××××××××××.de (uni) |
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joerg.schilling@××××××××××××××××.de (work) Blog: http://schily.blogspot.com/ |
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URL: http://cdrecord.berlios.de/private/ ftp://ftp.berlios.de/pub/schily |