[openbeos] Re: OS Propaganda.... A new world order!

>> According to the GPL we should make the kernel GPL too, sure we could 
just
>> ignore it, but could also create problems.
>
>No you don't.

AFAIUnderstand the point is, of course, the GPL crowd
believes 'sometimes' that .so start-time linking or
even .so runtime linking (dlopen() style in solaris parlance)
is the same as .o and .a linking. All the "fun" is in
the "sometimes" of course.


>Drivers in beos can be offered separate from kernel. They have always 
been
>separate files you can drag into a folder. Nvidia drives are closed 
source
>for linux, as they are separate from kernel.

The NVidia driver is
1) for Linux (GPL)
2) written by people outside the linux "core team".

Now go back in history and ask around why in the case
of the BeOS 3com something NIC driver, Be had to get an arrangement
with the author. You'll get fun responses.  Unedicated biggots
combined with a fuzzy "general" license can do much hoopla and even
damage, as those who followed (yet another example) the initial port
of BeUAE by DavidS a couple years ago will remember. I have my
own example as well (writing a MOD decoder) which upset me quite
a bit and there are tons more.


>Only code that the kernel 'depends' upon will make it gpl. depends 
means
>that kernel won't run at all w/o driver.

This is based on the license text itself. In a perfect world
this is what would be enforced, without abuse from wannabe
linux "suporters", yes.


To try and somehow give a not too awkward conclusion to this
thread, it's probably best that no one in OBOS cvs-commits
GPL'ed code (or code based on GPL'ed code) so as to avoid
any harrassment from 'well intentionned' zealots. If someone
else ports a GPLed driver, all power to them; Erik's reasoning
will then apply in full force (just like the following line
as well, for that matter: )
cd.

>If we think that the above line is true, then I can write one gpled
>driver, link it to windows XP. Is windows XP open source? No.
>


[remember, the more we discuss those issues, the more the GPL
reaches its hidden goal :-]...
--
http://cdegea.free.fr/ | BeDev E-16870
"What's oil got to do, got to do with it" -- F02 Chorus

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