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Date:      Tue, 18 Dec 2001 13:13:51 +1030
From:      Greg Lehey <grog@FreeBSD.org>
To:        Brad Knowles <brad.knowles@skynet.be>
Cc:        FreeBSD Chat <chat@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   Re: GPL nonsense: time to stop
Message-ID:  <20011218131351.M21649@monorchid.lemis.com>
In-Reply-To: <a05101009b8445a0a2848@[10.0.1.39]>
References:  <20011218121011.E21649@monorchid.lemis.com> <a05101009b8445a0a2848@[10.0.1.39]>

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On Tuesday, 18 December 2001 at  3:30:46 +0100, Brad Knowles wrote:
> At 12:10 PM +1030 on 2001/12/18, Greg Lehey wrote:
>
>>> If you link some GPL-covered code into the kernel, the GPL's
>>> conditions will apply to the kernel as a whole.
>>
>> But only to that kernel, which is a binary.  The only effect the GPL
>> has on a binary is to require the supplier to also supply the source
>> code on request.  I can't imagine that we'd have problems with that.
>
> 	We might not, but the BSD license allows people to take the code
> and turn it into a proprietary, closed-source project.  That would no
> longer be possible for anyone who wanted to use a GPL-infested BSD.

Read what it says:

> The kernel code released under the revised BSD license will continue
> to be under the revised BSD license; it is only the *combination as
> a whole* that will be covered by the GPL--if and when the
> GPL-covered code is included in it.  If someone links a kernel
> without that GPL-covered code, the GPL won't apply to that kernel.

What part of that don't you understand?

> 	For example, this would almost certainly have killed the
> Whistle InterJet, as well as many other commercial projects using
> BSD.  Yes, projects like this can contribute source code back, and
> frequently do -- but it's their choice as to what they contribute
> and what they keep private.

You need to explain this.

Greg
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