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Re: SystemTap License
- From: fche at redhat dot com (Frank Ch. Eigler)
- To: Daniel Doron <danielmeirdoron at gmail dot com>
- Cc: systemtap at sourceware dot org
- Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2017 11:49:40 -0500
- Subject: Re: SystemTap License
- Authentication-results: sourceware.org; auth=none
- References: <CAFwN=+zVB5RUZ5oJ0LRARpgGN=ru17-5AhynVFGL17j46VfGbQ@mail.gmail.com>
danielmeirdoron wrote:
> [...] If using SystemTap in a commercial application, i.e. use
> systemtap to create the kernel module, does the company have to
> publish the SystemTap scripts used to create the kernel module when
> selling the commercial product? [...]
First: IANAL, YMMV, HTH, HAND, etc.
We have not seriously envisioned a market for compiled systemtap modules
being distributed separately from their sources, so this aspect of
licensing hasn't come up. From the model of systemtap as a compiler,
the .ko output consists of a mechanically translated form of your own
input script (so no direct licensing impact there), but ... it's all
deeply interlinked with the runtime and with code that is based on the
systemtap tapset library. Those two parts are GPL2+ licensed. That
suggests the final .ko will also be GPL2+ licensed.
Note that the GPL2 does not require -public- release of source code;
under the GPL2 3.a) conditions, it merely needs to -accompany- your
binaries to your customers.
- FChE