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Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 00:17:42 -0700
To: Greg Lehey <grog@FreeBSD.org>
From: Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org>
Subject: Re: IBM's intentions with JFS (was: IBM suing (was: RMS Suing
  was [SUGGESTION] - JFS for FreeBSD))
Cc: Terry Lambert <tlambert2@mindspring.com>,
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At 11:04 PM 12/16/2001, Greg Lehey wrote:

>> If they're part of the kernel, they're not separate works. RMS would
>> have the right to demand, TODAY, that the entire FreeBSD kernel be
>> licensed under the GPL. This is the danger of permitting the camel's
>> nose into the tent.
>
>Well, why don't we ask him?

Go ahead. He'll wring his hands with glee, seeing that carelessness
and apathy have delivered his enemies into his hands.

>I interpret this to mean "after linking".  It would appear to be the
>kernel binary which falls under the GPL.  About the only obligation of
>the FreeBSD project would be to make the corresponding source code
>available.

Not true. The FreeBSD Project would be obliged to license the entire
kernel -- source and binary -- under the GPL.

>This sounds to me like a technicality.  For me, the main thing is that
>the FreeBSD code remains under the BSD license, and it seems that
>there's no issue there.

There is a very serious issue. It contains GPLed code and has been
distributed. This means that if the GPL is legally enforceable,
every version of FreeBSD that has contained that code must be
licensed under the GPL.

Brett Glass


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