GPL Issues Surrounding Commercial Device Drivers? 523
Demiurg asks: "My company has recently decided to support Linux for it's embedded networking products which means that I'm starting to write Linux device drivers for our hardware. The company was very concerned about GPL issues and consulted a lawyer - who advised us to go for a user-space driver, saying that this is the only safe way to avoid GPL issues. I tried to give them a few examples of companies distributing binary only drivers (NVIDIA and Rational) but was told that these companies do not distribute binary only drivers - they only allow you to download them from a web site (which is not an option for an embedded product). What does Slashdot have to say about the issue? Is writing a user-mode (and hence not very efficient) driver the only way for a company to protect it's intellectual property? Please refrain from giving answers like 'all code should be GPL' - although I personally may agree, such answers will not help me convince management to make the change." Are there any lawyers (or readers with the right legal knowledge) out there that can confirm or contradict this recommendation?
Brilliant!!! (Score:5, Funny)
Well, boss, I know the lawyer said one thing, but look at all the Linux zealots on Slashdot that say we should go this way instead!!! Some of them even hold jobs and live outside their parents' basement!!
That's not how they do things on Star Trek! (Score:1, Funny)
Please read my fanfic about how the people of Star Trek freely share everything and love [goatse.cx] one another!
He is not a kernel hacker (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Tried asking the FSF or lkml directly? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:He is not a kernel hacker (Score:5, Funny)
In general, do not take advice on how to license a device driver from a programmer. Or, if he/she insists, invite them to be sued. Pay only if they win.
Re:That's not how they do things on Star Trek! (Score:1, Funny)
Oh yeah????? Every citizen of the federation does NOT have their own starship. If I was a citizen, I would want my own Enterprise. But since everybody does not have one, there must be a reason. I suspect that it is cost...
Re:That's not how they do things on Star Trek! (Score:2, Funny)
These are the times when a few bars of cold pressed latinum would save your butt. But nooooooo, you're from The Federation. You don't believe in money.
Re:lawyers (Score:2, Funny)
<sarcasm>
You forgot to include the part about the secret alliance between the FSF and Microsoft. After all, the real function of the FSF is to invalidate intellectual property so that it can be used by MS.
</sarcasm>
Re:OT: Law School for Geeks? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:The counterexample is NVidia (Score:2, Funny)
I don't really believe you're sorry.
I like to see myself as a group of people. But that's another story entirely.
I am impressed (Score:3, Funny)
Re: lawyers (Score:5, Funny)
> The GPL is 'viral' in a sense
The GPL isn't viral; it's hereditary.
I have had both GPL and non-GPL software installed together on my system for years, and none of the non-GPL software has ever been infected.