linux-kernel - Re: GPL Violation?

lists.openwall.net		lists / announce owl-users owl-dev john-users john-dev passwdqc-users yescrypt popa3d-users / oss-security kernel-hardening musl sabotage tlsify passwords / crypt-dev xvendor / Bugtraq Full-Disclosure linux-kernel linux-netdev linux-ext4 linux-hardening linux-cve-announce PHC
Open Source and information security mailing list archives

Hash Suite: Windows password security audit tool. GUI, reports in PDF.

[<prev] [next>] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]

Message-ID: <44E6EC68.9060801@dgreaves.com>
Date:	Sat, 19 Aug 2006 11:48:08 +0100
From:	David Greaves <david@...eaves.com>
To:	davids@...master.com
Cc:	alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk,
	"Linux-Kernel@...r. Kernel. Org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: GPL Violation?

David Schwartz wrote:
>> Ar Gwe, 2006-08-18 am 02:51 -0700, ysgrifennodd David Schwartz:
>> EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL is clearly a rights management systems. Thats one of
>> its little charms.
> 
> 	No, it is not. If it was, it would violate the GPL. The GPL prohibits any
> restrictions not contained in the GPL, and the GPL doesn't say anything
> about EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL. To the contrary, the GPL prohibits restrictions on
> use. So EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL violates the GPL if you are not free to circumvent
> or remove it.
> 
> 	We had this same discussion a few years ago, and my recollection was that
> you agreed that EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL could not be a license enforcement scheme.
> Which term of the GPL do you think it enforces exactly?

I thought the EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL had a role in rights _management_ insofar as it
would shows that anyone circumventing it took a conscious act to do so. This may
or may not be valuable in subsequent, possibly legal, discussions.

It's not a rights _enforcement_ scheme on it's own (presumably enforcement
would ultimately involve men with big sticks - aka the legal system). It simply
helps manage (GPL) rights.

David
-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@...r.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/