From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Tue May 27 05:36:29 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E6F0A37B401 for ; Tue, 27 May 2003 05:36:29 -0700 (PDT) Received: from freebie.xs4all.nl (freebie.xs4all.nl [213.84.32.253]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B4F4B43F75 for ; Tue, 27 May 2003 05:36:28 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from wkb@freebie.xs4all.nl) Received: from freebie.xs4all.nl (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by freebie.xs4all.nl (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id h4RCaREB076230; Tue, 27 May 2003 14:36:27 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from wkb@freebie.xs4all.nl) Received: (from wkb@localhost) by freebie.xs4all.nl (8.12.9/8.12.9/Submit) id h4RCaR8g076229; Tue, 27 May 2003 14:36:27 +0200 (CEST) Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 14:36:26 +0200 From: Wilko Bulte To: Stijn Hoop Message-ID: <20030527123626.GA76205@freebie.xs4all.nl> References: <20030527123541.GG5269@pcwin002.win.tue.nl> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20030527123541.GG5269@pcwin002.win.tue.nl> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4i X-OS: FreeBSD 4.8-STABLE X-PGP: finger wilko@freebsd.org cc: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: policy on GPL'd drivers? X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 12:36:30 -0000 On Tue, May 27, 2003 at 02:35:41PM +0200, Stijn Hoop wrote: > On Tue, May 27, 2003 at 07:28:29AM -0500, David Leimbach wrote: > > I have the GPLd source to the nforce drivers for Linux > > to support the nVidia nforce and nforce2 drivers in the kernel. > > > > To port these to FreeBSD would be an interesting task [if it hasn't > > already been done] and I have been looking for an excuse to get > > down and dirty with FBSD. > > [Yes... talk is cheap... just do it... Nike-a-go-go etc etc... :)] > > > > What is the policy on drivers that are clearly going to have to be > > GPLd by the viral clause since I am referencing a GPL driver to do the > > porting work myself? Are these allowed in the kernel? Yes, see for example the GPL_ed floating point emulator. However the idea is that all GPL infected stuff be isolated, allowing a fully working kernel without GPL stuff in there. > > > > Can we have a "tainted" flag for kernels running GPL drivers :). > > > > I'm interested in this too -- I have a working FreeBSD prototype of the > i8k Linux driver, fan control for Dell laptops. I was planning to ask > the author if he was willing to relicense it to BSD, but failing that A BSD license is ***strongly*** prefered. > the answer to this question might be interesting. -- | / o / /_ _ wilko@FreeBSD.org |/|/ / / /( (_) Bulte