Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2001 23:50:48 -0700 From: Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com> To: David Johnson <djohnson@acuson.com> Cc: freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: any Linux distros which are not Open Source? Message-ID: <3A5C0648.603AB543@softweyr.com> References: <Pine.BSF.4.31.0101091240230.48782-100000@pcle2.cc.univie.ac.at> <3A5BA9E2.34D6D857@softweyr.com> <3A5BB045.40F9856@acuson.com>
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David Johnson wrote:
>
> Wes Peters wrote:
> >
> > If it's GPL, it's *illegal* unless it is open source.
> >
> > People (and companies) break the law all the time, and usually get away
> > with it.
>
> The Linux kernel has an exception written in to allow for system calls.
Where? In what license?
> I also recall that Linus allows closed source loadable modules. In
Linus does, but does the license? Linus opinions are not the contract
which allows you to distribute the code; the GPL *is*.
> practice it is very similar to the LGPL. A lot of the closed source
> Linux stuff operates on this exception instead of outright violating the
> license. I don't know how Rio does things, but it shouldn't be too hard
> to use Linux in an embedded environment without having to actually
> modify the kernel.
Actually, the kernel usually has to be heavily modified to support the
limited run-time environment, but this work is usually released to anyone
who wants it, since it's useless without the specific hardware.
--
"Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"
Wes Peters Softweyr LLC
wes@softweyr.com http://softweyr.com/
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