> there is almost no patch needed (as it is for the PowerPC). The real issue > here is that the license imposes limitations on what you can do in a > loadable kernel module, more specifically redirecting interrupts. The > license forbids you from loading a module that redirects interrupts, even > if this is a capability of the linux source code, except if: > 1) Your code is GPL. > 2) Your code is based on the "Open RTLinux" distributed by FSMLabs. > > The intention here is to make the loading of RTAI, which itself is LGPL, > illegal! Well, LGPL is in fact dual license containing GPL option. Therefore RTAI is GPL code and is allowed. But what about code calling RTL services, not providing them? I mean what about binary only module registering RT thread or interrupt handler using GPL code? BTW. - In my opinion GPL/LGPL is a non issue in this case - the policy allowing binary modules in the Linux kernel effectively makes it LGPL. > Actually, with the license as it is, RTLinux itself is in violation of, at least, > articles 1, 2 and 3 of the GPL as you are not freely permitted to download > the "Open RTLinux" from fmslabs, modify it and then redistribute it for > non-GPL use, as is currently done with all GPL software out there. With I think that sections 7 and 8 are relevant here. But since Victor has licensed the patent to ALL GPL software and since GPL software can be linked only with other GPL software anyway the patent is not additional restriction to rights and obligations spelled in GPL. Effectively the patent just restores the full power of GPL on the code using RT functions - this means no binary modules using (implementing? - this is very unclear to me whether the patent license really prohibits using or implementing RT in non GPL code) RT. Please note that under RMS reading of GPL binary only modules are not allowed (linking to GPL code). Please note that Linus does not own all of Linux kernel code - his permisison of binary only modules does not cover all the code. This means that in principle every author of kernel code could object to linking of binary only modules to HIS GPL code. No patent is needed for that. Best regards, -- Tomek -- [rtl] --- To unsubscribe: echo "unsubscribe rtl" | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR echo "unsubscribe rtl <Your_email>" | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- For more information on Real-Time Linux see: http://www.rtlinux.org/rtlinux/
