diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'include/linux/module.h')
| -rw-r--r-- | include/linux/module.h | 18 |
1 files changed, 17 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/include/linux/module.h b/include/linux/module.h index f5bc4c046461..5bf5dcd91009 100644 --- a/include/linux/module.h +++ b/include/linux/module.h @@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ extern void cleanup_module(void); * The following license idents are currently accepted as indicating free * software modules * - * "GPL" [GNU Public License v2 or later] + * "GPL" [GNU Public License v2] * "GPL v2" [GNU Public License v2] * "GPL and additional rights" [GNU Public License v2 rights and more] * "Dual BSD/GPL" [GNU Public License v2 @@ -186,6 +186,22 @@ extern void cleanup_module(void); * * "Proprietary" [Non free products] * + * Both "GPL v2" and "GPL" (the latter also in dual licensed strings) are + * merely stating that the module is licensed under the GPL v2, but are not + * telling whether "GPL v2 only" or "GPL v2 or later". The reason why there + * are two variants is a historic and failed attempt to convey more + * information in the MODULE_LICENSE string. For module loading the + * "only/or later" distinction is completely irrelevant and does neither + * replace the proper license identifiers in the corresponding source file + * nor amends them in any way. The sole purpose is to make the + * 'Proprietary' flagging work and to refuse to bind symbols which are + * exported with EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL when a non free module is loaded. + * + * In the same way "BSD" is not a clear license information. It merely + * states, that the module is licensed under one of the compatible BSD + * license variants. The detailed and correct license information is again + * to be found in the corresponding source files. + * * There are dual licensed components, but when running with Linux it is the * GPL that is relevant so this is a non issue. Similarly LGPL linked with GPL * is a GPL combined work. |