[U-Boot-Users] GPL 2 "or later" concern

Alex Zeffertt ajz at cambridgebroadband.com
Tue Sep 19 11:27:32 CEST 2006


Andy Green wrote:
> 
> Since all U-boot users who may use signatures to verify the provenance 
> of a package are in the same boat, I am wondering what the general 
> opinion about this situation is, and what the feeling would be about a 
> Linux kernel/busybox-style GPL V2-only license.
> 

Hi Andy,

I am curious as to what worries you about GPL v3.

Is it that you wish to build a version of u-boot that will only load a kernel
that has been signed with your private key?

If so, then your customers will not be free to modify their kernel even though
they may access its source.

This seems to go against the spirit of the GPL.  However, I can also see that
for some products linux will only be used if it can be shown to be tamper proof.

Alex




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