Hi.
> > Let�s say, a company plans to build a stand alone device that
> > internally uses Linux as operating system. In order to keep size
> > small and so on DOCs are used to load the operating system. As
> > far as I understood now the DOC driver has to be included in the
> > kernel image which is on the DOC. In order to mount the root
> > device and so on which actually is the DOC, the driver is needed.
> Yup. The DOC driver from M-Systems needs to be statically linked into
> the kernel. The GPL requires that all sources are to be available for
> before and after GPL'd code has been altered.
But the code itself hasn�t been altered, there is just an "enhancement"
to the compilation result for which we don�t have the source...?
> You don't have the sources for the M-Systems driver so the kernel
> with the statically linked DOC driver cannot be distributed without
> violating GPL. Now creating and using such a kernel is just fine for
> your own personal use. GPL kicks in when you want to distribute the
> thing.
It is not possible for this product to let someone compile the kernel
for local use. This thing has to run "out of the box", without having
the need for someone playing around with the device on an attached
monitor or something like this.
> > So, what about the concequences for this company when distributing
> > (selling) this device in the described setup? I doubt that, if it is
> > correct what you wrote, it won�t be ok. Right or wrong?
> There are three ways to eliminate the GPL problem with the M-Systems
> driver:
> - Boot the kernel and ramdisk from a FAT16 patition from DOC with
> syslinux. You don't need DOC support in the kernel unless you need
> to access the DOC after averything is booted.
> - Compile the M-systems driver as a module. You can distribute binary
> only kernel modules without violating GPL. Apparently it's been
> done but I haven't had any luck in doing it myself.
So, would the following scenario work?
The kernel and the content for the initrd is booted right away from the
DOC using syslinux. The system starts as any "linux on a floppy" system.
Then (after startup) I need to access the DOC again, so the kernel
module will be needed (which is no problem as it can be found in the
filesystem that resides on the ramdisk).
> - Don't use DOC but use Compact Flash or IDE flash.
Which btw would be the better solution, as M-Systems is said to have
problems delivering enough DOCs at the moment. At least I heared that.
> TTYL,
> Adi
Bye, Mike
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