Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 12:45:11 -0700 From: John-Mark Gurney <gurney_j@efn.org> To: Randall Hopper <rhh@ct.picker.com> Cc: multimedia@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: AWE32/64 support? Message-ID: <19970810124511.00196@hydrogen.nike.efn.org> In-Reply-To: <19970810152549.10220@ct.picker.com>; from Randall Hopper on Sun, Aug 10, 1997 at 03:25:49PM -0400 References: <Pine.BSF.3.96.970808174412.4871E-100000@zippy.dyn.ml.org> <199708092031.NAA07209@rah.star-gate.com> <19970810113200.09723@ct.picker.com> <19970810114504.39681@hydrogen.nike.efn.org> <19970810152549.10220@ct.picker.com>
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Randall Hopper scribbled this message on Aug 10: > John-Mark Gurney: > |Randall Hopper scribbled this message on Aug 10: > |> Side note: I'd like to pull in a more recent AWE driver version into > |> the tree for everyone, but my understanding is that since its GPLed, this > |> prevents inclusion in our kernel source tree. If we made the sound driver > |> an LKM, and if the driver author would agree to change to LGPL, I think > |> that would let us. But as far as I know, right now we can't so folks have > |> to update themselves. > | > |there already is a src/sys/gnu for copylefted source... it includes the > |GPL Floating point emulator and the digiboard driver... so it should > |be able to be imported into the source tree... > | > |will this driver conflict with any non-GPL version of a similar driver in > |the source tree? this is about the only problem I can see with it... > > Based on what I've read on the FreeBSD lists about GPL (and a quick glance > at the sgnu package), I'm guessing this is all code that is used to > generate stand-alone executables and libraries that that the kernel doesn't > build-time link with (e.g. gdb, readline, etc.). your thinking of the src/gnu tree.. but as I said in the original message.. look in src/sys/gnu.. there is a specific tree in the kernel source that is for GPL'd software... > Preface: this is second-hand information. In a past list thread on GPL > (earlier this year I think), it was said that GPL is written such that > compile-time linking GPLed code with other code and then distributing the > combo results in that "other code" being auto-GPLed; i.e. choosing to > build-time link with GPL constitutes acknowledgement that the distributed > code will be released GPL. This was said to prevent linking GPL stuff > directly into the kernel. correct... > Apparently though, there's legal grounds for invoking LGPLed code in other > code without the plague of LGPL legally spreading to it -- by dynamic > linking of that code -- e.g. make the LGPL code an LKM. this is also correct if I remeber right.. I did try to read the GPL once.. but after it takes about 10 minutes per paragraph.. I gave up trying to understand it... but I'm pretty sure your right about it... the only thing we can't do is provide a binary (compiled) version of the code... this isn't much of a problem as you usually don't compile sound drivers into the GENERIC kernel.. so it's relativly safe... probably needs to be denoted in the LINT file when commited that the code is GPL'd... is there another driver already in the tree that works with the AWE32 sound cards? I'm not that familar with the more high end cards... ttyl.. -- John-Mark Gurney Modem/FAX: +1 541 683 6954 Cu Networking Live in Peace, destroy Micro$oft, support free software, run FreeBSD
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