GPL Violation: Microsoft's Code Generosity with Strange Taste
Microsoft made headlines on July 20 with their release of a Hyper-V driver to the Linux kernel under GPL. Now it turns out that the driver violates the GPL free code stipulation by having a mix of proprietary and open source code.
Novell's kernel hacker and driver expert Greg Kroah-Hartman had worked with Microsoft to release the Hyper-V driver under GPLv2. Not an unusual thing for the head of the Linux Driver Project (LDP). His Linux Kernel Monkey Log may have gone into why Microsoft was compelled into the deal, but an update on the webpage points to an entry on the Linux Network Plumber website to "give a little more of the backstory of what caused me to start talking to Microsoft in the first place." Steve Hemminger, employed at network company Vyatta, hosts the Plumber website.
Hemminger congratulated Microsoft in his Plumber blog, but added that he stumbled on a Vyatta forum about the GPL components in Hyper-V and immediately informed Kroah-Hartman that "there was a problem." Kroah-Hartman then "prodded the right people" to resolve the issue. "It took longer than expected, but Microsoft finally decided to do the right thing and release the drivers," said Hemminger. Perhaps under different circumstances than were expected.
Comments
comments powered by DisqusIssue 268/2023
Buy this issue as a PDF
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
Escuelas Linux 8.0 is Now Available
Just in time for its 25th anniversary, the developers of Escuelas Linux have released the latest version.
-
LibreOffice 7.5 has Arrived Loaded with New Features and Improvements
The favorite office suite of the Linux community has a new release that includes some visual refreshing and new features across all modules.
-
The Next Major Release of Elementary OS Has Arrived
It's been over a year since the developers of elementary OS released version 6.1 (Jólnir) but they've finally made their latest release (Horus) available with a renewed focus on the user.
-
KDE Plasma 5.27 Beta Is Ready for Testing
The latest beta iteration of the KDE Plasma desktop is now available and includes some important additions and fixes.
-
Netrunner OS 23 Is Now Available
The latest version of this Linux distribution is now based on Debian Bullseye and is ready for installation and finally hits the KDE 5.20 branch of the desktop.
-
New Linux Distribution Built for Gamers
With a Gnome desktop that offers different layouts and a custom kernel, PikaOS is a great option for gamers of all types.
-
System76 Beefs Up Popular Pangolin Laptop
The darling of open-source-powered laptops and desktops will soon drop a new AMD Ryzen 7-powered version of their popular Pangolin laptop.
-
Nobara Project Is a Modified Version of Fedora with User-Friendly Fixes
If you're looking for a version of Fedora that includes third-party and proprietary packages, look no further than the Nobara Project.
-
Gnome 44 Now Has a Release Date
Gnome 44 will be officially released on March 22, 2023.
-
Nitrux 2.6 Available with Kernel 6.1 and a Major Change
The developers of Nitrux have officially released version 2.6 of their Linux distribution with plenty of new features to excite users.
Misleading article