Re: Article: IBM wants to "clean up the license" of Linux

D.A. Harris (rodmur@ecst.csuchico.edu)
Sun, 20 Dec 1998 09:43:37 -0800

On Sun, Dec 20, 1998 at 02:15:47AM +0000, Alan Cox wrote:
>
> Linus has given permission for third party modules that are not source
> to be distributed providing they use the existing modules apis. I've not
> seen a single binary only module thats actually remotely popular with its
> user base other than the commercial OSS sound modules.
>
> Alan
>

It wouldn't surprise me to see more of this occur. Especially when you
have propietary hardware manufacturers that write the drivers and interfaces
for their hardware when want to interface with Linux, and not release
openly the source to what they perceive as a major source of their income.
Granted it will more likely happen with more specialized, high end hardware,
unless it is the case where it is just too easy to install and use, to not
buy, as with OSS.

-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dale Harris  <rodmur@csuchico.edu>   http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~rodmur/
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