Microsoft's Dfs - GPL LICENSE ISSUE

Giorgos Keramidas keramida at ceid.upatras.gr
Thu May 30 14:23:03 GMT 2002


On 2002-05-30 07:27 -0500, David W. Chapman Jr. wrote:
> > > > It is GPL code. I don't think it can be used in the FreeBSD kernel
> > > > (correct me if I'm wrong Steve).
> > >
> > > I don't think this will be a problem.  We currently have a GPL math
> > > emulator in our kernel, just not enabled by default
> > >
> > > options         GPL_MATH_EMULATE        #Support for x87 emulation via
> > >                                         #new math emulator
> > >
> > > If it can be loaded as a kernel module it will be even less of a
> > > problem, but I don't know the specifics about the program in question.
> >
> > Uhmm that's not entirely true.
> > There is a problem. When you distribute a kernel in which that module
> > has been linked (statically or dynamically) you have to release the
> > whole kernel under the GPL terms if you distribute it in binary form
>
> Even if it has been dynamically linked after the fact and the kernel
> was not originally distributed with this module?

Pardon my somewhat flamebait-like style, but "bullfeathers".

Greg Lehey has researched this exact topic a bit more, and his views,
backed up with some statements by Richard Stallman, can be found in an
old article of daemonnews.  It makes things pretty clear, and you can
find it at:

http://ezine.daemonnews.org/200202/dadvocate.html

- Giorgos





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