From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1751335AbWDKXGp (ORCPT ); Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:06:45 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1751336AbWDKXGp (ORCPT ); Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:06:45 -0400 Received: from mail.acc.umu.se ([130.239.18.156]:54940 "EHLO mail.acc.umu.se") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1751335AbWDKXGo (ORCPT ); Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:06:44 -0400 Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 01:06:42 +0200 From: David Weinehall To: Ramakanth Gunuganti Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: GPL issues Message-ID: <20060411230642.GV23222@vasa.acc.umu.se> Mail-Followup-To: Ramakanth Gunuganti , linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org References: <20060411063127.97362.qmail@web54314.mail.yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20060411063127.97362.qmail@web54314.mail.yahoo.com> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.1i X-Editor: Vi Improved X-Accept-Language: Swedish, English X-GPG-Fingerprint: 7ACE 0FB0 7A74 F994 9B36 E1D1 D14E 8526 DC47 CA16 X-GPG-Key: http://www.acc.umu.se/~tao/files/pub_dc47ca16.gpg.asc Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org OK, simplified rules; if you follow them you should generally be OK: 1. Changes to kernel --> GPL 2. Kernel driver --> GPL 3. Userspace code that uses interfaces that was not exposed to userspace before you change the kernel --> GPL (but don't do it; there's almost always a reason why an interface is not exported to userspace) 4. Userspace code that only uses existing interfaces --> choose license yourself (but of course, GPL would be nice...) 5. Userspace code that depends on interfaces you added to the kernel --> consult a lawyer (if this interface is something completely new, you can *probably* use your own license for the userland part; if the interface is more or less a wrapper of existing functionality, GPL) And of course, I'm not a lawyer either... Regards: David Weinehall -- /) David Weinehall /) Northern lights wander (\ // Maintainer of the v2.0 kernel // Dance across the winter sky // \) http://www.acc.umu.se/~tao/ (/ Full colour fire (/