OT: Re: [linux-audio-dev] very nice looking HW -- somewhat off topic

Is it not legal? I know the license for the linux kernel provides (last time I looked) an exception -- the intent of which was to allow porting of existing drivers/filesystems, etc, from other unices to linux -- which would clearly not be derived works. And there are the GPL_ONLY symbols and such... sort of implying the symbols which are not GPL_ONLY are fair game for binary-only drivers. And there are some binary-only storage drivers I know of -- cheap SATA software RAID and such usually -- I seem to recall the video guys are perhaps the worst offenders in terms of pushing binary-only drivefs, I guess that's still true. Just saying, judging by the current state of affairs -- loads of existing and current binary-only drivers for linux floating around for brand new hardware unhampered by litigation -- if it's not legal, it might as well be. Without saying too much, I have some interest in this beyond just conversation. To clarify my position, I do think binary-only drivers suck, and I would be the first to advise people not to buy, e.g. esp. storage solutions which rely on binary-only HBA drivers, and I advocate so much as I am able within the company which employs me to avoid such things. But to say they are not legal is pretty strong, in view of the extant binary-only drivers floating around. If they really are illegal, then I'd want to know that. If it is so, it seems not to be enforced at all. Oh, yeah, IANAL, of course, and consequently I stupidly attempt to apply rational thinking to licenses and such. Programmers and lawyers mixed together is a recipe for insanity. -- steve __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com