[nycbug-talk] kernels

[Sunny Dubey]

On Thursday 03 June 2004 12:41 pm, Pete Wright wrote:

> > I don't get what you're trying to say here.  Linux won't accept kernel
> > modules and patches that aren't GPL either, but it just so happens
> > that there are third parties that provide a few binary only drivers.
>
> actually the kernel will accept non-GPL'd lkm's, it will just "taint"
> the kernel and tell you about that at boot time.  the nvidia drivers are
> not GPL'd for example.

I think we are all talking about different things when we speak about 
"accepting" binary only code.

The linux kernel will load binary only modules (and/or its wrapper) and it 
will complain.

However binary only modules will never be accepted into the main linux 
kernel tree for obvious reasons.  (binary only firmware is a different 
story)

> > In the case of OpenBSD, you just don't have any interested third
> > parties (that I'm aware of).
>
> i don't think the OpenBSD folks want anything to do with non-open source
> drivers for various reasons.  in any event it's 6 or one 1/2 a dozen of
> the other...

The decision of OpenBSD's liking or disliking of binary only code is not 
theirs.  It is up to the other third party to choose if they want to create 
such drivers (obviously these drivers will never make it close to the main 
kernel tree).

Sunny Dubey