linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 2/3] UIO: Documentation

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Message-Id: <200708091429.35075.hjk@linutronix.de>
Date:	Thu, 9 Aug 2007 14:29:34 +0200
From:	Hans-Jürgen Koch <hjk@...utronix.de>
To:	Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>
Cc:	Valdis.Kletnieks@...edu, Jesper Juhl <jesper.juhl@...il.com>,
	Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@...e.de>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 2/3] UIO: Documentation

Am Donnerstag 09 August 2007 01:40 schrieb Alan Cox:
> > On the other hand, given that we've always said that closed-source stuff in
> > userspace is OK, the only way to not let *that* horse out of the barn is to
> > not merge UIO at all.
> 
> It really makes no difference whether it is merged or not. The test is
> "derivative work" and not 'linking'. 
> 
> A user space driver that is unusuable without a specific GPL kernel chunk
> is quite likely to be a derived work of the GPL kernel module 

I disagree. UIO is a documented kernel<->userspace interface, like sysfs
or proc. Using your argument, we would also have to say that a userspace
software that is unusable without sysfs is a derived work of the kernel.
But IANAL, tell me if I missed an important point.

> so the 
> documentation is giving poor advice however

I guess you mean this sentence:

"if you need to keep some parts of your driver closed source, you can do so 
without violating the GPL license on the kernel."

What would you write instead?

Thanks,
Hans
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