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Matthew Wilcox wrote:

> > That's probably true, but given what the patch actually does, and the
> > differences between NetBSD and Linux kernel sources, the only common code
> > is likely to be something like "if (*name=='_') *name=='!';". Unless the
> > concept (but sharing no common code) is covered by the GPL.
> 
> The whole issue of copyright is very complicated and the situation with
> respect to reverse engineering even more so.  GNU's guidelines to writing
> code suggest that one should not write code if one is aware of the inner
> workings of a competing product.  Wouldn't it simply have been easier to
> _ask_ me if I was willing to donate the code rather than trying to take
> it?

I don't think Stephen wanted to rip off your code in the slightest; it
probably just seemed a good idea, and wondered if anyone else was going
to do this for RiscBSD. Don't worry, NetBSD developers aren't in the
habit of ripping off people's code (well, I know one that has) and
certainly wouldn't put something as restrictive as the GPL into the
tree.

So don't worry.

I don't know in any case that the NetBSD folks would want something so
platforms-specific at a driver level; it'd probably be done as a special
kind of FS that munges stuff, but ws knows more about this than I do.

	N.
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