Re: [PATCH 2.5.5] do export vmalloc_to_page to modules...

[Tigran Aivazian]

On Wed, 3 Apr 2002, Alan Cox wrote:
> Taking code I am one of the authors of and making it convenient for
> people like veritas to use in non GPL code is quite different. Its
> theft plain and simple.

Alan,

I don't want to try your patience but I have to emphasize that:

yes, it should be authors decision (completely agree with you there!)
whether a symbol is exported or not and whether it should be exported to
all modules or only to some "internal/kernel" modules. But this is a
technical issue, nothing to do with legalities/licenses or author's likes
or dislikes of binary modules.

But if the author's decision is based on a statement similar to "I spent N
hours writing this function, it's okay to let GPL modules use it but no
way I'll let the nasty veritas-like people use it", then I feel something
is wrong somewhere. Then perhaps we could even refine the API to have

EXPORT_SYMBOL_FRIENDS(sym,list_of_friends)

where only "friends" can use the symbol and even then only if they first
call (an exported function):

register_export_payment(sym, sum);

where 'sum' depends on the number of hours spent on writing sym().

I feared that perhaps I misunderstood the meaning of EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL but
in the other "instance" of this thread Linus did confirm that it was
correct.

Regards,
Tigran

PS. unimportant detail for curious listeners on linux-kernel -- Veritas
doesn't actually need vmalloc_to_page exported in any manner or form.