2006/9/16, Marcel Mourguiart <mourguiart@gmail.com>:
2006/9/16, Carl-Daniel Hailfinger <c-d.hailfinger.devel.2006@gmx.net>:
Marcel Mourguiart wrote:
_Is there a formal letter from kernel developers saying you can't have non-free drivers in your servers or your distro ?_
Yes. Alan Cox (one of the main kernel developers) has written such a letter. A few other kernel developers have done the same. Christoph Hellwig (he also holds copyright on quite a few critical parts of the kernel) has stated: "I'm going to sue them if they use hook called from code I have copyright on."
Funny and why they have non-free kernel modules in the kernel server ??
Have you a link to the letter ??
You know what, never mind Is clear that GPL is protected by law in Germany and USA, is clear too ( for me at least ) that you can't mix or link non-free software with GPL code ( with lgpl you can ). What i think is not clear is the server=distribution, for example when kororaa receive a letter from fsf, they ask to kororaa specifically remove the nvidia and ati driver _from the live cd_, wich they do. BUT they never have ask to remove nvidia / ati drivers from gentoo servers ( kororaa depository ), not a single letter, just nothing. Debian project have a big non-free section in the server, i have never see a letter from fsf asking to remove it because they are braking the GPL. Almost every big distro ( including suse ) have some non-free kernel modules in the server, i have never see fsf asking to remove those files. Ok, they have time/money to make a sue, but they have not the time to write a letter ?? you can read the kororaa issue here: http://kororaa.org/index.php?entry=entry060521-200059 -- Marcel Mourguiart