> 
> On Mon, 9 Dec 1996, Christopher R. Bowman wrote:
[using *BSD stuff in GPL'd code]
> 
> It may be perfectly valid, but it's prohibited.  :-)

One thing I learned about all this is that you can BUILD it, you
just can't distribute it. FreeBSD has a gnu section of their source. They
don't distribute kernels with such things turned on, but you can make them.

> The GPL requires that "when you distribute the same sections as part of a
> whole which is a work based on the Program, the distribution of the whole
> must be on the terms of this License" (article 2) - in other words,
> including one piece of GPL code brings the entire program in which it's
> included under the GPL.
> 
> The requirements in a BSD-style copyright that the original authors be
> credited in any product packaging and/or advertisement for derivative
> works constitutes an additional restriction on the right of the program's
> recipient to redistribute the program over and above the restrictions
> already contained in the GPL.  Such additional restrictions on the are
> prohibited under the GPL (article 6); including code with such
> restrictions thus terminates the rights that the GPL grants you to modify
> or redistribute the program.

I thought (and would be happy to be corrected if wrong) that the problem was
really that the code comes with a list of conditions under which you can
distribute derived works, and keeping the original conditions is one of
the conditions. The conditions aren't GPL, thus to GPL them you are changing
the re-distribution conditions, which is not permitted.

Note: lkm's (or klm's) are fair game! If the linking is run-time, not
build-time, you CAN mix GPL'd and non-GPL'd code. FSF folks were asked
this question directly. I think the idea is they are only joined while running
on your computer.  As long as you don't distribute the innards of your
running computer, you're fine.

Also, the microkernel is NOT under the GPL, only the Linux server. :-)

Take care,

Bill