From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Dec 28 10:47:28 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B7DCA1065675 for ; Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:47:28 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from gljennjohn@googlemail.com) Received: from mail-wi0-f182.google.com (mail-wi0-f182.google.com [209.85.212.182]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 497678FC16 for ; Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:47:27 +0000 (UTC) Received: by wibhr1 with SMTP id hr1so10805357wib.13 for ; Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:47:27 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=googlemail.com; s=gamma; h=date:from:to:cc:subject:message-id:in-reply-to:references:reply-to :x-mailer:mime-version:content-type:content-transfer-encoding; bh=53NITPcuWslOHB4GG7js1a3lbSDbkFGOHjL/do/9mVY=; b=RwyxtGBu8hpHHgVhclaAtSuAGIPZhQPd+5jRisrTYiK9FYkhXp5gbAvTlh5RQngpLD cCijZH+sbunkxtI0qKX/Q6LcnlzArwyEXomrF2s32gF3IHSF1oMzs/uRdNnAJJuxPo1V ikBuC8iklVuavo7Hr5dpTZx7bbzgCAwXgm5eA= Received: by 10.180.93.193 with SMTP id cw1mr34806806wib.5.1325069247152; Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:47:27 -0800 (PST) Received: from ernst.jennejohn.org (p578E2D1E.dip.t-dialin.net. [87.142.45.30]) by mx.google.com with ESMTPS id fq7sm31370041wbb.1.2011.12.28.02.47.25 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=OTHER); Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:47:26 -0800 (PST) Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:47:23 +0100 From: Gary Jennejohn To: Rick Macklem Message-ID: <20111228114723.3370c8a2@ernst.jennejohn.org> In-Reply-To: <2003190153.640689.1324957356113.JavaMail.root@erie.cs.uoguelph.ca> References: <2003190153.640689.1324957356113.JavaMail.root@erie.cs.uoguelph.ca> X-Mailer: Claws Mail 3.8.0 (GTK+ 2.24.6; amd64-portbld-freebsd10.0) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: license question w.r.t. NFSv4.1 Layout drivers - calling all amateur lawyers X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: gljennjohn@googlemail.com List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:47:28 -0000 On Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:42:36 -0500 (EST) Rick Macklem wrote: > First off, I had no idea which mailing list would be appropriate > for this, so apologies in advance if I chose the wrong one. > > For NFSv4.1 pNFS, there are layout drivers in Linux that I would > like to reuse for the FreeBSD client. (Re-writing these drivers > from scratch would be a lot of work and difficult to maintain. The > Linux drivers are being actively developed with the assistance of > server vendors.) > > Two of these drivers carry a University of Michigan copyright notice > which looks pretty liberal to me. (Rather similar to MIT's copyright.) > I realize it would have to be approved by core@, but I think it could > be. (The 3rd is GPLv2'd, but that one doesn't concern me at this time. > I believe that Panasas might be able to release the code for this one > under a different license, but haven't explored this as of yet.) > > However, there is a catch... > After the copyright notice on the .c files, but not the .h files, > there is also this: > > MODULE_LICENSE("GPL"); > > and in linux/module.h, there is the following for the above: > /* > * The following license idents are currently accepted as indicating free > * software modules > * > * "GPL" [GNU Public License v2 or later] > * "GPL v2" [GNU Public License v2] > * "GPL and additional rights" [GNU Public License v2 rights and more] > * "Dual BSD/GPL" [GNU Public License v2 > * or BSD license choice] > * "Dual MIT/GPL" [GNU Public License v2 > * or MIT license choice] > * "Dual MPL/GPL" [GNU Public License v2 > * or Mozilla license choice] > * > * The following other idents are available > * > * "Proprietary" [Non free products] > * > * There are dual licensed components, but when running with Linux it is the > * GPL that is relevant so this is a non issue. Similarly LGPL linked with GPL > * is a GPL combined work. > * > * This exists for several reasons > * 1. So modinfo can show license info for users wanting to vet their setup > * is free > * 2. So the community can ignore bug reports including proprietary modules > * 3. So vendors can do likewise based on their own policies > */ > #define MODULE_LICENSE(_license) MODULE_INFO(license, _license) > > Now, from what little I know, this does not imply that the .c file is GPL'd, > since it doesn't have any GPL copyright notice in the file, nor does it #include > one via MODULE_LICENSE(). > > Does anyone happen to know if I am correct or how to confirm this? > > Thanks in advance for any help with this, rick > ps: Here's what's on the .c file, in case you're interested. The .h > files just have what is in the comment. > /* > * Module for the pnfs nfs4 file layout driver. > * Defines all I/O and Policy interface operations, plus code > * to register itself with the pNFS client. > * > * Copyright (c) 2002 > * The Regents of the University of Michigan > * All Rights Reserved > * > * Dean Hildebrand > * > * Permission is granted to use, copy, create derivative works, and > * redistribute this software and such derivative works for any purpose, > * so long as the name of the University of Michigan is not used in > * any advertising or publicity pertaining to the use or distribution > * of this software without specific, written prior authorization. If > * the above copyright notice or any other identification of the > * University of Michigan is included in any copy of any portion of > * this software, then the disclaimer below must also be included. > * > * This software is provided as is, without representation or warranty > * of any kind either express or implied, including without limitation > * the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular > * purpose, or noninfringement. The Regents of the University of > * Michigan shall not be liable for any damages, including special, > * indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, with respect to any > * claim arising out of or in connection with the use of the software, > * even if it has been or is hereafter advised of the possibility of > * such damages. > */ > > #include > #include > #include > > #include "internal.h" > #include "nfs4filelayout.h" > > #define NFSDBG_FACILITY NFSDBG_PNFS_LD > > MODULE_LICENSE("GPL"); > MODULE_AUTHOR("Dean Hildebrand "); > MODULE_DESCRIPTION("The NFSv4 file layout driver"); > IANAL but IMO the university copyriught notice takes precedence over the MODULE_LICENSE(), which is basically there so that the in-kernel linker won't brand the result of loading this module as "tainted." This is based on 10 years of doing embedded Linux work and encountering this "problem" myself. -- Gary Jennejohn