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authorLinus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>2019-03-09 09:56:17 -0800
committerLinus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>2019-03-09 09:56:17 -0800
commit1a29e857507046e413ca7a4a7c9cd32fed9ea255 (patch)
tree5a46d9c4dcab39fc588a9ac2c9f5e4c866d41254 /include/linux/module.h
parentc4703acd6d4a58dc4b31ad2a8f8b14becb898d25 (diff)
parent4064174becc09a5a2385a27c8a6fd40888b0e13c (diff)
Merge tag 'docs-5.1' of git://git.lwn.net/linux
Pull documentation updates from Jonathan Corbet: "A fairly routine cycle for docs - lots of typo fixes, some new documents, and more translations. There's also some LICENSES adjustments from Thomas" * tag 'docs-5.1' of git://git.lwn.net/linux: (74 commits) docs: Bring some order to filesystem documentation Documentation/locking/lockdep: Drop last two chars of sample states doc: rcu: Suspicious RCU usage is a warning docs: driver-api: iio: fix errors in documentation Documentation/process/howto: Update for 4.x -> 5.x versioning docs: Explicitly state that the 'Fixes:' tag shouldn't split lines doc: security: Add kern-doc for lsm_hooks.h doc: sctp: Merge and clean up rst files Docs: Correct /proc/stat path scripts/spdxcheck.py: fix C++ comment style detection doc: fix typos in license-rules.rst Documentation: fix admin-guide/README.rst minimum gcc version requirement doc: process: complete removal of info about -git patches doc: translations: sync translations 'remove info about -git patches' perf-security: wrap paragraphs on 72 columns perf-security: elaborate on perf_events/Perf privileged users perf-security: document collected perf_events/Perf data categories perf-security: document perf_events/Perf resource control sysfs.txt: add note on available attribute macros docs: kernel-doc: typo "if ... if" -> "if ... is" ...
Diffstat (limited to 'include/linux/module.h')
-rw-r--r--include/linux/module.h18
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.