linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 0/2] module: Block modules by Tuxedo from accessing GPL symbols

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Message-ID: <2024111517-booting-grafted-8c4c@gregkh>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2024 07:30:53 +0100
From: Greg KH <gregkh@...uxfoundation.org>
To: Werner Sembach <wse@...edocomputers.com>
Cc: Uwe Kleine-König <ukleinek@...nel.org>,
	Luis Chamberlain <mcgrof@...nel.org>, tux@...edocomputers.com,
	Petr Pavlu <petr.pavlu@...e.com>,
	Sami Tolvanen <samitolvanen@...gle.com>,
	Daniel Gomez <da.gomez@...sung.com>, linux-modules@...r.kernel.org,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	Thorsten Leemhuis <linux@...mhuis.info>
Subject: Re: [PATCH 0/2] module: Block modules by Tuxedo from accessing GPL
 symbols

On Fri, Nov 15, 2024 at 07:09:49AM +0100, Werner Sembach wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Am 15.11.24 um 05:43 schrieb Greg KH:
> > On Thu, Nov 14, 2024 at 11:49:04AM +0100, Werner Sembach wrote:
> > > Hello,
> > > 
> > > Am 14.11.24 um 11:31 schrieb Uwe Kleine-König:
> > > > Hello,
> > > > 
> > > > the kernel modules provided by Tuxedo on
> > > > https://gitlab.com/tuxedocomputers/development/packages/tuxedo-drivers
> > > > are licensed under GPLv3 or later. This is incompatible with the
> > > > kernel's license and so makes it impossible for distributions and other
> > > > third parties to support these at least in pre-compiled form and so
> > > > limits user experience and the possibilities to work on mainlining these
> > > > drivers.
> > > > 
> > > > This incompatibility is created on purpose to control the upstream
> > > > process. Seehttps://fosstodon.org/@kernellogger/113423314337991594 for
> > > > a nice summary of the situation and some further links about the issue.
> > > > 
> > > > Note that the pull request that fixed the MODULE_LICENSE invocations to
> > > > stop claiming GPL(v2) compatibility was accepted and then immediately
> > > > reverted "for the time being until the legal stuff is sorted out"
> > > > (https://gitlab.com/tuxedocomputers/development/packages/tuxedo-drivers/-/commit/a8c09b6c2ce6393fe39d8652d133af9f06cfb427).
> > > As already being implied by that commit message, this is sadly not an issue
> > > that can be sorted out over night.
> > > 
> > > We ended up in this situation as MODULE_LICENSE("GPL") on its own does not
> > > hint at GPL v2, if one is not aware of the license definition table in the
> > > documentation.
> > That's why it is documented, to explain this very thing.  Please don't
> > suggest that documenting this is somehow not providing a hint.  That's
> > just not going to fly with any lawyer who reads any of this, sorry.
> 
> You are right, that's why when I became aware of the situation this Monday https://gitlab.com/tuxedocomputers/development/packages/tuxedo-drivers/-/commit/9db67459510f18084694c597ff1ea57ef1842f4e
> I got the gears to resolve this into moving (me playing devils advocate here
> is directly related to this https://lore.kernel.org/all/17276996-dcca-4ab5-a64f-0e76514c5dc7@tuxedocomputers.com/)
> and then returned on working on the code rewrite for upstream ( https://lore.kernel.org/all/8847423c-22ec-4775-9119-de3e0ddb5204@tuxedocomputers.com/
> is directly related to that), because I'm a developer not a lawyer.

I would strongly suggest you work with your lawyers now as they are the
ones that need to resolve this properly.

thanks,

greg k-h