Kernel source

[Arjan van de Ven]

On Sun, 2006-04-16 at 02:08 -0400, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
> On Sun, 2006-04-16 at 06:22 +0200, Arjan van de Ven wrote:
> > there is nothing illegal about binary applications.
> > However binary kernel modules link to the kernel and are a derived work
> > of the kernel (for many reasons) and thus need to be GPL licensed (as
> > per the GPL license). For example, basically every binary module
> > contains code taken from the GPL kernel.
> 
> Actually, Linus has clarified his position on many items.
> 
> For example, the NDIS Wrapper links in a non-GPL binary object.  But
> because that binary object was not written for Linux, it is not
> incompatible with the GPL.

sure; I'd not call that a link kernel module though.. more a windows
kernel module (which it is). I should have been more precise..

(and btw that doesn't mean it is automatically to ship a linux kernel,
ndiswrapper and the windows driver as one work if the intent is for them
to function together, because that's again something one should ask a
lawyer about. Yes the GPL is tricky and pretty restrictive, as is the
concept of intent ;)