linux-kernel - Re: Dual-Licensing Linux Kernel with GPL V2 and GPL V3

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Date:	Thu, 14 Jun 2007 02:15:53 +0200
From:	Bongani Hlope <bhlope@...b.co.za>
To:	Alexandre Oliva <aoliva@...hat.com>
Cc:	Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Lennart Sorensen <lsorense@...lub.uwaterloo.ca>,
	Greg KH <greg@...ah.com>,
	debian developer <debiandev@...il.com>,
	"david@...g.hm" <david@...g.hm>,
	Tarkan Erimer <tarkan@...one.net.tr>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>, mingo@...e.hu
Subject: Re: Dual-Licensing Linux Kernel with GPL V2 and GPL V3

On Thursday 14 June 2007 01:49:23 Alexandre Oliva wrote:
> On Jun 13, 2007, Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org> wrote:
> > The fact is, Tivo didn't take those rights away from you, yet the FSF
> > says that what Tivo did was "against the spirit". That's *bullshit*.
>
> Oh, good, let's take this one.
>
>   if you distribute copies of such a program, [...]
>   you must give the recipients all the rights that you have
>
> So, TiVo includes a copy of Linux in its DVR.
>

And they give you the same right that they had, which is obtain free software 
that you can modify and redistribute. There's nothing in there that says they 
should give you the tools they used after they received the software, which 
is what you seem to be looking for.

> TiVo retains the right to modify that copy of Linux as it sees fit.
>
> It doesn't give the recipients the same right.
>

It does, can't you modify their kernel source? Where does it say you should be 
able to run you modifications on the same hardware?

> Oops.
>
> Sounds like a violation of the spirit to me.
>
> Sounds like plugging this hole would retain the same spirit.

The only fear that I have with the whole Tivo saga, is that companies like 
Dell can use the same thing to say: "Our hardware will only run Company's X 
distribution of Linux". 

Do we just hope users won't buy those Dell machines, or do you modify your 
software license to force Dell to allow custom distributions to run on their 
machines? Then where do we draw the line of "Software Licenses".
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