There are currently some doubts about out-of-tree kernel modules licensed
under GPLv3 and if they are supposed to be able to use symbols exported
using EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL.
Clarify that "Proprietary" means anything non-GPL2 even though the
license might be an open source license. Also disambiguate "GPL
compatible" to "GPLv2 compatible".
Signed-off-by: Uwe Kleine-König <ukleinek@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
Hello,
these are the locations that I found by a quick grep. If you spot a
document that needs similar updating, please tell.
The change in license-rules.rst looks bigger than it actually is due to
changing where the line wrappings occur. With `git diff --word-diff` it
reduces to:
"Proprietary" The module is under a proprietary license.
{+"Proprietary" is to be understood only as+}
{+ "The license is not compatible to GPLv2".+}
This string is solely for [-proprietary-]{+non-GPL2 compatible+}
third party modules and cannot be used for
Best regards
Uwe
Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst | 2 +-
Documentation/process/license-rules.rst | 18 ++++++++++--------
2 files changed, 11 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst b/Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst
index 1717348a4404..0042776a9e17 100644
--- a/Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst
+++ b/Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ Defined in ``include/linux/export.h``
Similar to :c:func:`EXPORT_SYMBOL()` except that the symbols
exported by :c:func:`EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL()` can only be seen by
-modules with a :c:func:`MODULE_LICENSE()` that specifies a GPL
+modules with a :c:func:`MODULE_LICENSE()` that specifies a GPLv2
compatible license. It implies that the function is considered an
internal implementation issue, and not really an interface. Some
maintainers and developers may however require EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL()
diff --git a/Documentation/process/license-rules.rst b/Documentation/process/license-rules.rst
index 2ef44ada3f11..59a7832df7d0 100644
--- a/Documentation/process/license-rules.rst
+++ b/Documentation/process/license-rules.rst
@@ -471,14 +471,16 @@ _`MODULE_LICENSE`
source files.
"Proprietary" The module is under a proprietary license.
- This string is solely for proprietary third
- party modules and cannot be used for modules
- which have their source code in the kernel
- tree. Modules tagged that way are tainting
- the kernel with the 'P' flag when loaded and
- the kernel module loader refuses to link such
- modules against symbols which are exported
- with EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL().
+ "Proprietary" is to be understood only as
+ "The license is not compatible to GPLv2".
+ This string is solely for non-GPL2 compatible
+ third party modules and cannot be used for
+ modules which have their source code in the
+ kernel tree. Modules tagged that way are
+ tainting the kernel with the 'P' flag when
+ loaded and the kernel module loader refuses
+ to link such modules against symbols which
+ are exported with EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL().
============================= =============================================
base-commit: 28955f4fa2823e39f1ecfb3a37a364563527afbc
--
2.45.2
