linux-kernel - Re: GPL License Query on a Plain Linux Application

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Message-ID: <AANLkTink2gPzby3Ad-ZD2o33K9iAYPZq=D2wNGH=3Oa7@mail.gmail.com>
Date:	Fri, 1 Apr 2011 16:26:11 +0530
From:	Ramya Desai <ramya.desai@...il.com>
To:	Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>
Cc:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: GPL License Query on a Plain Linux Application

On Thu, Mar 31, 2011 at 8:54 PM, Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk> wrote:
> On Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:49:34 +0530
> Ramya Desai <ramya.desai@...il.com> wrote:
>
>> Dear All,
>>
>> I have written an application where it uses plain system calls like
>> open, read, write etc. and runs in the user space. My question here,
>> is this application comes under GPL?
>
> This is a technical not a legal list - I would ask the Linux Foundation
> if you want a legal answer.
>
> In general though your question seems really to be "is my application a
> derivative work of the kernel". That would be a surprising interpretation
> (speaking as a non-lawyer) but also one the community wanted to be sure
> never occurred. Hence the COPYING file for the kernel itself states:
>
>   NOTE! This copyright does *not* cover user programs that use kernel
>  services by normal system calls - this is merely considered normal use
>  of the kernel, and does *not* fall under the heading of "derived work".
>  Also note that the GPL below is copyrighted by the Free Software
>  Foundation, but the instance of code that it refers to (the Linux
>  kernel) is copyrighted by me and others who actually wrote it.

Dear Alan,

Thanks for your valuable information. I got what I need.

Thanks and Regards,
Ramya.

>
> Alan
>
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