From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Tue May 27 05:45:24 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6328437B401 for ; Tue, 27 May 2003 05:45:24 -0700 (PDT) Received: from smtpout.mac.com (smtpout.mac.com [17.250.248.88]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id DF79843F3F for ; Tue, 27 May 2003 05:45:23 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from leimy2k@mac.com) Received: from mac.com (smtpin08-en2 [10.13.10.153]) by smtpout.mac.com (Xserve/MantshX 2.0) with ESMTP id h4RCjNiL019228 for ; Tue, 27 May 2003 05:45:23 -0700 (PDT) Received: from mac.com (adsl-33-229-251.jan.bellsouth.net [67.33.229.251]) (authenticated bits=0) by mac.com (Xserve/MantshX 2.0) with ESMTP id h4RChG1Q019784; Tue, 27 May 2003 05:43:17 -0700 (PDT) Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 07:43:15 -0500 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v552) To: Wilko Bulte From: David Leimbach In-Reply-To: <20030527123626.GA76205@freebie.xs4all.nl> Message-Id: Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.552) cc: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: policy on GPL'd drivers? X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 12:45:24 -0000 On Tuesday, May 27, 2003, at 07:36 AM, Wilko Bulte wrote: > On Tue, May 27, 2003 at 02:35:41PM +0200, Stijn Hoop wrote: >> On Tue, May 27, 2003 at 07:28:29AM -0500, David Leimbach wrote: >>> I have the GPLd source to the nforce drivers for Linux >>> to support the nVidia nforce and nforce2 drivers in the kernel. >>> >>> To port these to FreeBSD would be an interesting task [if it hasn't >>> already been done] and I have been looking for an excuse to get >>> down and dirty with FBSD. >>> [Yes... talk is cheap... just do it... Nike-a-go-go etc etc... :)] >>> >>> What is the policy on drivers that are clearly going to have to be >>> GPLd by the viral clause since I am referencing a GPL driver to do >>> the >>> porting work myself? Are these allowed in the kernel? > > Yes, see for example the GPL_ed floating point emulator. > > However the idea is that all GPL infected stuff be isolated, allowing a > fully working kernel without GPL stuff in there. Sounds like a "kernel module" is the way to go then. Perhaps it could exist in the ports tree instead of the mainline kernel sources :). I know I'd be happy with that... the problem is hosting the driver since I am sure "patching" it won't be enough to map the linux innards to freebsd's. > >>> >>> Can we have a "tainted" flag for kernels running GPL drivers :). >>> >> >> I'm interested in this too -- I have a working FreeBSD prototype of >> the >> i8k Linux driver, fan control for Dell laptops. I was planning to ask >> the author if he was willing to relicense it to BSD, but failing that > > A BSD license is ***strongly*** prefered. > Indeed. I am very grateful that nVidia open sourced the driver at all. I see that it was merged into 2.5.70's linux kernel version so it will be there supported in 2.6.x. I would hate to have to use other hardware for achieving the same effect on FreeBSD and lately. >> the answer to this question might be interesting. > > -- > | / o / /_ _ wilko@FreeBSD.org > |/|/ / / /( (_) Bulte