From owner-freebsd-chat Tue Dec 18 22:58:20 2001 Delivered-To: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org Received: from lariat.org (lariat.org [12.23.109.2]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B334A37B41A for ; Tue, 18 Dec 2001 22:58:15 -0800 (PST) Received: from mustang.lariat.org (IDENT:ppp0.lariat.org@lariat.org [12.23.109.2]) by lariat.org (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id XAA23748; Tue, 18 Dec 2001 23:58:00 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <4.3.2.7.2.20011218180158.00d6fc50@localhost> X-Sender: brett@localhost X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 4.3.2 Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 23:58:00 -0700 To: Terry Lambert From: Brett Glass Subject: Re: GPL nonsense: time to stop Cc: Craig Harding , chat@FreeBSD.ORG In-Reply-To: <3C1FA272.D9679E44@mindspring.com> References: <20011218121011.E21649@monorchid.lemis.com> <4hzo4hyv3c.o4h@localhost.localdomain> <4.3.2.7.2.20011217221801.02841bc0@localhost> <4.3.2.7.2.20011218102351.02841f00@localhost> <4.3.2.7.2.20011218124204.02812700@localhost> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Sender: owner-freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk List-ID: List-Archive: (Web Archive) List-Help: (List Instructions) List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: X-Loop: FreeBSD.org At 01:09 PM 12/18/2001, Terry Lambert wrote: >They aren't integral, if they aren't in the boot or installation >path, since they are not required to get a minimally functional >system. They are still integrated even if the system can boot without them. See the Microsoft case. >This is a problem for the distributors of already binary code that >is GPL'ed rather than LGPL'ed. As it is, FreeBSD does not distribute >with binary code created this way, since to do so would potentially >cause legal problems. It is up to the user's discretion whether or >not they choose to create a kerne with static or dynamic GPL'ed >modules. True. But the GENERIC kernel comes with this module dynamically linked and ready to bring in. And the average user cannot easily remove it. >By this argument, installation of GPL'ed code, which is linked against >system libraries, and uses kernel services on non-GPL'ed OSs is at >risk. I don't believe this. It is a risk. Not long ago, a company wanted to use a GPLed CODEC for audio. So, they took a GPLed CODEC, made it into a library (a DLL for Windows for which it released source), and then linked to it completely dynamically at runtime. The FSF immediately threatened to sue and forced the company -- which was small and could not fight the FSF with its huge war chest -- to back down. The incident was documented on Slashdot. --Brett Glass To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message