linux-kernel - RE: [PATCH 3/8] staging: fsl-mc: Add SPDX license identifiers

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Message-ID: <VI1PR0402MB36641599B3ADF70F23C0BF20EAE90@VI1PR0402MB3664.eurprd04.prod.outlook.com>
Date:   Wed, 17 Jan 2018 15:56:19 +0000
From:   Bogdan Purcareata <bogdan.purcareata@....com>
To:     Greg KH <gregkh@...uxfoundation.org>
CC:     Laurentiu Tudor <laurentiu.tudor@....com>,
        Ruxandra Ioana Ciocoi Radulescu <ruxandra.radulescu@....com>,
        "devel@...verdev.osuosl.org" <devel@...verdev.osuosl.org>,
        "robh@...nel.org" <robh@...nel.org>,
        "stuyoder@...il.com" <stuyoder@...il.com>,
        "arnd@...db.de" <arnd@...db.de>,
        "marc.zyngier@....com" <marc.zyngier@....com>,
        Roy Pledge <roy.pledge@....com>,
        Ioana Ciornei <ioana.ciornei@....com>,
        "linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
        Horia Geantă <horia.geanta@....com>,
        Nipun Gupta <nipun.gupta@....com>,
        "tglx@...utronix.de" <tglx@...utronix.de>,
        "linux-arm-kernel@...ts.infradead.org" 
        <linux-arm-kernel@...ts.infradead.org>,
        "jason@...edaemon.net" <jason@...edaemon.net>
Subject: RE: [PATCH 3/8] staging: fsl-mc: Add SPDX license identifiers

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Greg KH [mailto:gregkh@...uxfoundation.org]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2018 5:13 PM
> To: Bogdan Purcareata <bogdan.purcareata@....com>
> Cc: Laurentiu Tudor <laurentiu.tudor@....com>; Ruxandra Ioana Ciocoi Radulescu
> <ruxandra.radulescu@....com>; devel@...verdev.osuosl.org; robh@...nel.org;
> stuyoder@...il.com; arnd@...db.de; marc.zyngier@....com; Roy Pledge
> <roy.pledge@....com>; Ioana Ciornei <ioana.ciornei@....com>; linux-
> kernel@...r.kernel.org; Horia Geantă <horia.geanta@....com>; Nipun Gupta
> <nipun.gupta@....com>; tglx@...utronix.de; linux-arm-
> kernel@...ts.infradead.org; jason@...edaemon.net
> Subject: Re: [PATCH 3/8] staging: fsl-mc: Add SPDX license identifiers
> 
> On Tue, Jan 16, 2018 at 03:19:05PM +0200, Bogdan Purcareata wrote:
> > diff --git a/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/bus/dpbp-cmd.h b/drivers/staging/fsl-
> mc/bus/dpbp-cmd.h
> > index 5904836..1ac8ec6 100644
> > --- a/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/bus/dpbp-cmd.h
> > +++ b/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/bus/dpbp-cmd.h
> > @@ -1,33 +1,8 @@
> > +/* SPDX-License-Identifier: (GPL-2.0+ OR BSD-3-Clause) */
> 
> Hm, I don't think you want to do that.  How can a Linux driver subsytem
> that wraps calls to the kernel's driver core (which are GPL-only), be
> accessed by BSD-3 code?

For this particular file, the original license was dual GPL/BSD. The patch removes the license text and adds an equivalent SPDX tag.

> If I didn't know any better, I would think you were trying to create a
> "GPL Condom" here :)
> 
> Anyway, why all of the BSD-3 stuff here?  That makes no sense for kernel
> code at all, and this is a relicensing of the file, have you gotten
> legal approval of everyone that has modified the file while it was under
> the GPL-v2 only text to be able to change it to BSD-3 as well?

Previous to this patch, the files under drivers/staging/fsl-mc/ use a combination of GPL-2.0 and (GPL-2.0+ / BSD-3-Clause) licenses (expressed by the full license text). 

The original intent was to have an uniform dual license for all files. Before making this change, I have consulted the other current contributors, but based on your feedback, we think it's best to keep the current licenses.

> Careful, this is a _VERY_ tricky thing to do right.  I need a
> signed-off-by on this type of patch from your legal council to ensure
> that they know exactly what you are doing, and have reviewed it
> properly, before I can take it.
> 
> Hint, stick to the existing license in the files, it makes more sense,
> you are not going to be taking this code out of Linux and putting it
> anywhere.

I will send a v2 keeping the existing license for each file - removing the full license text and adding a SPDX tag. This way there will be no change from a legal standpoint.

Thank you for the feedback!

Bogdan