From owner-freebsd-net@FreeBSD.ORG Mon May 5 18:20:22 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-net@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 865D71065677 for ; Mon, 5 May 2008 18:20:22 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from delphij@delphij.net) Received: from tarsier.delphij.net (unknown [IPv6:2001:470:1f03:2c9::2]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2DA798FC19 for ; Mon, 5 May 2008 18:20:22 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from delphij@delphij.net) Received: from tarsier.geekcn.org (tarsier.geekcn.org [202.108.54.204]) (using TLSv1 with cipher ADH-CAMELLIA256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by tarsier.delphij.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 46DF828449 for ; Tue, 6 May 2008 02:20:21 +0800 (CST) Received: from localhost (tarsier.geekcn.org [202.108.54.204]) by tarsier.geekcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CF9C3EB6DB6; Tue, 6 May 2008 02:20:20 +0800 (CST) X-Virus-Scanned: amavisd-new at geekcn.org Received: from tarsier.geekcn.org ([202.108.54.204]) by localhost (mail.geekcn.org [202.108.54.204]) (amavisd-new, port 10024) with ESMTP id 4MDHMUzgKEBg; Tue, 6 May 2008 02:20:16 +0800 (CST) Received: from charlie.delphij.net (71.5.7.139.ptr.us.xo.net [71.5.7.139]) (using TLSv1 with cipher DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by tarsier.geekcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id 391C5EB096A; Tue, 6 May 2008 02:20:12 +0800 (CST) DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; s=default; d=delphij.net; c=nofws; q=dns; h=message-id:date:from:reply-to:organization:user-agent: mime-version:to:cc:subject:references:in-reply-to: x-enigmail-version:openpgp:content-type:content-transfer-encoding; b=eqeHUFcFuX8mlfzhgUudorrZ5/yU0VsMKBDWxlWVdc4VW0kzxwjJCb15z0cIvMQbM qqZzuoi95St4dWHu6i98w== Message-ID: <481F4FD7.1000609@delphij.net> Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 11:20:07 -0700 From: Xin LI Organization: The FreeBSD Project User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.14 (X11/20080505) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: hlwhyw@shtel.net.cn References: <424543f9f5.3f9f542454@shtel.net.cn> In-Reply-To: <424543f9f5.3f9f542454@shtel.net.cn> X-Enigmail-Version: 0.95.6 OpenPGP: id=18EDEBA0; url=http://www.delphij.net/delphij.asc Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-net@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Can I port 4.4BSD-Lite's TCP/IP protocol stack soure code to my own OS kernel which is GPL Licenced? X-BeenThere: freebsd-net@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: d@delphij.net List-Id: Networking and TCP/IP with FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 18:20:22 -0000 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 hlwhyw@shtel.net.cn wrote: | Hi, all | | Can I port 4.4BSD-Lite's TCP/IP protocol stack soure code to my own OS kernel which is GPL Licence? | | I know that 4.4BSD-Lite is BSD Licenced. Is it legal to port BSD Licenced code and change it to GPL licence? I think this is a complex issue, you'd better ask a lawyer who is an expert in copyright affairs. For pure 4.4-BSD Lite, the license is 4-clause BSD license, and the advertisement clause was removed exactly because FSF claims that it would prevent people from being able to combine BSD licensed code with GPL licensed ones, therefore, it is legal to combine 4.4-BSD Lite code with GPL code. However, it is illegal to change license, if you are not the sole copyright holder of the code. There is no point to do this anyway. On the other hand, why not just use some FreeBSD code for your product instead? Let us know if there is some limitation/lack of functionality? Cheers, - -- Xin LI http://www.delphij.net/ FreeBSD - The Power to Serve! -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.9 (FreeBSD) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iEYEARECAAYFAkgfT9cACgkQi+vbBBjt66D+8ACbB1VhjNZS8ZvJHr4TuuGQoVYS JGoAoLHukH9mq/hZP219La3jTtwp0CM4 =Aosf -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----