Hi ! > It's a modified linux kernel with hooks for a big binary module that takes > over part of the control. It's rather hard to argue that it's not a derived > work. Especially as they reuse various I/O subsystem of the kernel > that has been parasited. They have put their modified sources for download at http://www.vmware.com/download/vi/open_source.html For recent version of ESX this is http://download3.vmware.com/software/vi/VMware-esx-public-source-3.0.1-32039.tar.gz which is: VMware-esx-drivers-public-source-3.0.1-32039.tar.gz VMware-esx-gpl-public-source-3.0.1-32039.tar.gz VMware-esx-server-public-source-3.0.1-32039.tar.gz which is: # ls -la VMware-esx-drivers-public-source-3.0.1-32039/src/drivers/* |wc -l 41 # ls -la VMware-esx-public-source-3.0.1-32039 total 54 drwxr-xr-x 11 root root 360 Sep 27 01:51 . drwxrwxrwt 188 root root 23896 Nov 27 19:18 .. -r--r--r-- 1 root root 18003 Sep 27 01:51 COPYING -r--r--r-- 1 root root 832 Sep 27 01:51 README drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3656 Sep 27 01:51 include drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 120 Sep 27 01:51 installer drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 2144 Sep 27 01:51 linux-iscsi drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 88 Sep 27 01:51 pixops-2.0 drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 136 Sep 27 01:51 ramcheck drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 88 Sep 27 01:51 uwglibc-2.2.5 drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1008 Sep 27 01:51 vmkiscsi-util drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 624 Sep 27 01:51 vmklinux drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 128 Sep 27 01:51 vmkload_mod # tar tzvf VMware-esx-gpl-public-source-3.0.1-32039.tar.gz booty-0.31.1-5.src.rpm busybox-0.60.5-11.src.rpm initscripts-7.31.30.EL-13vmw.src.rpm iputils-20020927-11.30.4vmw.src.rpm kudzu-1.1.22.14-4.1.4.src.rpm mingetty-1.06-2vmw.src.rpm mkinitrd-3.5.13-16.src.rpm openssh-3.6.1p2-33.30.9vmw.src.rpm pam_passwdqc-1.0.2-1.src.rpm parted-1.6.3-48vmw.src.rpm pixops-2.0.tar.gz procmail-3.22-10vmw.src.rpm redhat-config-keyboard-1.1.4-2.src.rpm rhpl-0.110.6-2.src.rpm rpm-4.2.3-26vmw.src.rpm samba-3.0.9-1.3E.10vmw.src.rpm shadow-utils-4.0.3-22.03.src.rpm util-linux-2.11y-31.12vmw.src.rpm util-linux-2.11y-31.14vmw.src.rpm vmware-hwdata-1.00-6vmw.src.rpm vmware-release-3-3vmw.src.rpm yum-2.0.7-3vmw.src.rpm So they have re-distributed the sources of all kernel-code/tools they have modified for their product. I cannot judge, if this is really complete download or if there is missing some or some thousands of lines, but if there is no proof that there is missing a line, i don`t really understand why there is any issue with this. The GPL allows modification and even sale of GPL`ed protected code or. It just enforces derived code being GPL`ed, too. Ok, maybe half of their product is standing on the shoulders of giants (i.e kernel hackers and not people working for vmware) and they don`t tell everyone - but this is the same with half of the world`s DSL-routers. i`m not sure, but do you just mean: "they take everything from us, making millions of dollars, but they don`t give anything (real) back to us because the modified sources are more or less useless for the rest of the world...." ??? Hey, come on - even if you are right with this - all i wanted to know is how to modify their product so it works for me as i want it to work. That`s why i like freedom of open-source and why i dislike closed-source. I`d happily switch to XEN, but unfortunately XEN is no option for now.... Am i sort of a traitor now , becoming ostracized ? roland > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > Von: Christoph Hellwig <hch@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Gesendet: 27.11.06 18:19:24 > An: devzero@xxxxxx > CC: Christoph Hellwig <hch@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, linux-scsi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Betreff: Re: Disable SCSI-Reservation at the driver level ? > On Mon, Nov 27, 2006 at 10:45:42AM +0100, devzero@xxxxxx wrote: > > > And more. It's in fact one of the most blatant violations of the > > > Linux 2.4 kernel copyrights. Don't expect support if you use such > > > an illegal product. > > > > really? > > this is the first time i hear that ESX is an "illegal" product from the point of view of the kernel community. > > afaik, the esx kernel (vmnix) is a completely different product and for example, the source of the linux drivers they have modified to run under ESX are made available for download, as GPL tells them to do. > > > > what`s the problem here? > > It's a modified linux kernel with hooks for a big binary module that takes > over part of the control. It's rather hard to argue that it's not a derived > work. Especially as they reuse various I/O subsystem of the kernel > that has been parasited. > > > can you provide a link to some thread where this has been discussed? > > I don't think so. > > > something to be resolved with the help of gpl-violations.org ? > > I haven't found any evidence that they are using enough code that > gpl-violations.org has the right to defend. > ______________________________________________________________________________ "Ein Herz für Kinder" - Ihre Spende hilft! Aktion: www.deutschlandsegelt.de Unser Dankeschön: Ihr Name auf dem Segel der 1. deutschen America's Cup-Yacht! - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-scsi" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
