MESSAGE
DATE | 2004-01-10 |
FROM | Steve Milo
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SUBJECT | Subject: [hangout] Re: [NMLUG] Re: Better than Knoppix (fwd)
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Anyone care to comment?
Steve M
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 01 Jan 2004 14:44:28 -0700 (MST) From: M. Warner Losh To: nmlug-at-nmlug.org, slavik914-at-mrbrklyn.com Cc: neosad1st-at-charter.net Subject: Re: [NMLUG] Re: Better than Knoppix
In message: Steve Milo writes: : No the kernel does *not* belong to Linus!. The kernel is public domain, : people from around the world have contributed to its success and : advancement. Once he released the code to the public it became public.
The kernel is *NOT* public domain. Public Domain is a specific legal term that does not fit the definition of the Linux Kernel. The authors who wrote it retain a copyright on it. They allow you to use it out of the kindness of their hearts, as well as if you follow the license which they include (which is typically GPL). The folks that release their code under the GPL do so because they believe that the entire source for the system should be available (at least for things that link into the kernel).
It is an open legal question as to whether a driver is a derivitive work or not, but most of the posts that Linus has made lately say that it is.
Warner
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