On Fri, 2006-08-18 at 01:26, Ian Stirling wrote:
Well...
The problem is that in many cases AIUI, a large entry barrier to
someone taking CPU A, chip B, sticking it in a box, and selling
it, is that there is no linux driver for chip B.
If you (as someone who does not make chip B) release the GPL'd
driver, then you're making it a fair bit easier for competitors,
who can now simply copy your often not very novel in any way
other than you thought of it first - design, and use that driver.
Well, AFAIK that's *exactely* the kind of behavior the GPL was made to
avoid. No wonder you should talk to a lawyer if you want to circumvent
it.