Re: GPL only usage of security.h

offerat_private

* frm gregat_private "09/24/01 09:16:14 -0700" | sed '1,$s/^/* /'
*
* On Sun, Sep 23, 2001 at 11:21:21PM -0700, Crispin Cowan wrote:
*> 
*> This is still contrary to (at least my) original intent in the LSM 
*> project.  Linux has always permitted proprietary modules. The rationale, 
*> is that a module that does not change the kernel is not a derived work 
*> of the kernel, it is an application *for* the Linux that needs direct 
*> access to kernel space. Permitting proprietary modules is the same as 
*> permitting proprietary applications. I do not see why LSM should be 
*> different.
* 
* Please read the wording in the COPYING file in the kernel source tree
* and point out to me the place where it states that the internal kernel
* interfaces are not under the GPL.  There is wording in there granting
* that right to the syscall interface, but that is all that I see.
* 

You are right, there is nothing that I could see that mentioned modules,
but it has been widely accepted [1] that modules are not part of the
kernel, they are using it via public interfaces. 

[1] From "Linux Device Drivers, 2nd ed, O'Reilly, p12" 

    Third-party and custom modules are not part of the Linux kernel, and
thus you're 
    not forced to license them under the GPL. A module _uses_ the kernel
through a 
    well-defined interface, but is not part of it, simmilar to the way user
programs 
    use the kernel through system calls. Note that the exemption to GPL
licensing 
    applies only to modules that use the published module interface.
Modules that 
    dig deeper into the kernel must adhere to the "derived work" terms of
the GPL.

Is that legal opinion ? No, but the fact that its appeared twice, in
identical worded paragraphs in both editions indicates that Linus hasn't
voiced any change of opinion.

The issue of copyrighting of APIs is tricky, the physical file
linux/security.h can be GPL'ed, but there's nothing to stop someone from
re-expressing the structures in their own code base.

richard.

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Richard Offer                     Technical Lead, Trust Technology, SGI
"Specialization is for insects"
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