[email protected] wrote:
> Hi Garrett,
>
> Garrett D'Amore wrote:
>
>> Short answer: You cannot use the Linux code (even header file
>> definitions) within a Solaris kernel.
>>
>> Long answer:
>>
>> Some GPL advocates (e.g. Donald Becker) claim that loading a kernel
>> module is creating a derivative work; therefore GPL code cannot be
>> used in any kernel that is not GPL or GPL compatible.
>>
>> (Technically, IIUC, its not the *use* that creates the problem -- you
>> can do whatever you want with the GPL bits. Its *distribution* that
>> is limited. You can't distribute the resulting bits of a derivative
>> work.)
>>
>> Certain GPL/Linux folks (Donald Becker comes to mind again) have
>> promised to aggressively litigate to prevent inclusion of GPL sources
>> in any non-GPL-compatible kernel. (Note: CDDL is not deemed to be GPL
>> compatible.)
>>
>> While I don't know of any specific cases where this has been tested in
>> court (the definition of "derivative" work, and dynamic linking vs.
>> static linking seems -- to me at least -- to be somewhat debatable),
>> Sun's policy is to prohibit any GPL or GPL-derived code in the kernel.
>>
>> (I believe this policy holds true for library code as well, but I'm
>> not as certain.)
>>
> I understand about the kernel. But the library code I don't
> understand. Certainly all(?) of the
> GNU tools are using gnu library code. And this is shipped. Also,
> kernel modules can be built
> with gcc, but I guess that is not quite the same.
>
GPL is "viral"... so if the application is already GPL, then there is no
harm in GPL libraries. The problem would be something like libc, or
some other common library intended for use in applications that are
*not* GPL.
For this reason LGPL exists, because LGPL explicitly allows for dynamic
linking with non-GPL/LGPL code. But not all GNU libraries are LGPL.
Many are GPL.
Anyway, I should point at this point that IANAL, and YMMV.
> I wanted to use as much as possible of the existing wacom xdrv code.
> This, or so I thought,
> would not be a problem since the xdrv code is all running in user level
> with Xorg.
>
> So, do I re-write everything (xdrv for wacom on solaris, and the kernel
> module), or do I
> simply come up with my own definitions so that the kernel module sends
> the information in
> the format that xdrv is expecting? (Either is possible, now that I have
> a reasonable understanding
> of how to send events to X, and how they should be handled). The first
> choice, re-write everything,
> will take a bit more time. The second choice (come up with my own
> definitions) is trivial.
>
> There may be one other issue, but I prefer to take that up off-line
> (with you, Garrett, if it's ok).
>
I'm not the best person to help you here ... primarily because I don't
have the time to do so properly. But I'd first look into whatever code
already exists in Solaris or is being developed internally. Failing
that, I'd opt to rewrite as much as possible and avoid any GPL code.
-- Garrett
> thanks,
> max
>
>
>> -- Garett
>>
>> [email protected] wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Edward,
>>>
>>> Edward O'Callaghan wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> Wow yes please ! What terms is it under?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> This is one of the reasons I posted about this. I'll explain what I
>>> did.
>>> My intention (hope?) is to make the kernel driver (actually, a STREAMS
>>> module on top of the hid driver) CDDL. But I am using the Linux
>>> X input driver (xdrv) source slightly modified (basically, different
>>> ioctl calls
>>> to my wacom streams module. So, I guess the xdrv stuff would be GPL.
>>> To do this, I am including a header file (input.h) in my driver. So,
>>> am I allowed
>>> to do this? Do I need to re-write the xdrv code? Can I use a linux
>>> header file
>>> (for #defines) in my kernel module, or do I need to re-write the
>>> streams module
>>> as well?
>>>
>>> thanks,
>>> max
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Edward O'Callaghan.
>>>>
>>>> 2008/12/19 [email protected] <[email protected]>:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi.
>>>>> I sent the following to the driver list, (and one or two other mailing
>>>>> lists), and
>>>>> it was suggested I post something here...
>>>>>
>>>>> I have written a driver (and X input extension library) for Wacom pen
>>>>> tablets. The driver works with gimp, and basically does most
>>>>> everything
>>>>> that the equivalent software does on Linux. There are still a
>>>>> few issues... Currently, the tablet must be identified in an
>>>>> xorg.conf
>>>>> file. I am trying to figure out how
>>>>> to do this with hal and an fdi file, but haven't figured that out yet.
>>>>> Also, I have only tested with 2 different tablets (Intuos 3 and
>>>>> Bamboo). I am (slowly) porting Xara Xtreme
>>>>> (see http://www.xaraxtreme.org/ for info).
>>>>>
>>>>> So, is anyone interested in this? What steps do I need to take to get
>>>>> this into OpenSolaris? Is someone in Sun already working on this?
>>>>>
>>>>> thanks,
>>>>> max
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> xwin-discuss mailing list
>>>>> [email protected]
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> driver-discuss mailing list
>>> [email protected]
>>> http://mail.opensolaris.org/mailman/listinfo/driver-discuss
>>>
>>>
>>
>
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