Re: Intel's drivers license
>>>>> "Walter" == Walter Landry <wlandry@ucsd.edu> writes:
Walter> Sunnanvind Fenderson <sunnanvind@fenderson.com> wrote:
>>
>> Walter Landry wrote:
>>
>> > This rather long paragraph means that I can't take out some code
>> > covered by patents and use it to extend my favorite text editor.
>> > That would count as an additional restriction, and thus
>> > GPL-incompatible.
>>
>> Well... Patents normally mean "Hey, hands off this". This patent
>> license grants an additional *permission*, to use the patents in
>> certain software.
Walter> Intel is granting specific rights which do not extend to all GPL
Walter> software. Therefore, clause 7 of the GPL comes into effect, and we
Walter> can't distribute GPL'd works which include this Intel code. Clause 7
Walter> is actually quite clear about this.
This is true only if there exists some action that would be required
to be permitted under the GPL that is not permitted without these
limited rights.
I.E. if I grant you rights to use all patents I hold at the current
time, but not in GPLed software that presents a vi-like interface, I
have not violated the GPL. Why? Well for one thing, I hold no
patents so I have not actually done anything.
Similarly if Intel holds no patents for which I need a license then
their permission (or a lack of permission) would be sufficient.
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