Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 11:20:07 -0700 From: Xin LI <delphij@delphij.net> To: hlwhyw@shtel.net.cn Cc: freebsd-net@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Can I port 4.4BSD-Lite's TCP/IP protocol stack soure code to my own OS kernel which is GPL Licenced? Message-ID: <481F4FD7.1000609@delphij.net> In-Reply-To: <424543f9f5.3f9f542454@shtel.net.cn> References: <424543f9f5.3f9f542454@shtel.net.cn>
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 hlwhyw@shtel.net.cn wrote: | Hi, all | | Can I port 4.4BSD-Lite's TCP/IP protocol stack soure code to my own OS kernel which is GPL Licence? | | I know that 4.4BSD-Lite is BSD Licenced. Is it legal to port BSD Licenced code and change it to GPL licence? I think this is a complex issue, you'd better ask a lawyer who is an expert in copyright affairs. For pure 4.4-BSD Lite, the license is 4-clause BSD license, and the advertisement clause was removed exactly because FSF claims that it would prevent people from being able to combine BSD licensed code with GPL licensed ones, therefore, it is legal to combine 4.4-BSD Lite code with GPL code. However, it is illegal to change license, if you are not the sole copyright holder of the code. There is no point to do this anyway. On the other hand, why not just use some FreeBSD code for your product instead? Let us know if there is some limitation/lack of functionality? Cheers, - -- Xin LI <delphij@delphij.net> http://www.delphij.net/ FreeBSD - The Power to Serve! -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.9 (FreeBSD) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iEYEARECAAYFAkgfT9cACgkQi+vbBBjt66D+8ACbB1VhjNZS8ZvJHr4TuuGQoVYS JGoAoLHukH9mq/hZP219La3jTtwp0CM4 =Aosf -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
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