Re: [rtl] Patent / License issues

[Chunky Kibbles <gjb105@cs.york.ac.uk>]

On Fri, Nov 09, 2001 at 01:25:11PM +0200, Abraham vd Merwe wrote:
> Hi!
> 
> One thing that bothers me a bit about RTLinux which I thought you might help
> me with:
> 
> To what extent is software covered under the RTLinux patent/GPL, i.e. it is
> obvious that if I were to extend the RTLinux scheduler or something that
> forms an integral part of RTLinux in some way, I'd have to release that
> changes under GPL/RTLinux patent, but what happens if I write an application
> that makes use of RTLinux real-time threads or a kernel module that uses
> real-time interrupts? May that software still be proprietary or are any
> derived works covered by the license/patent as well?

1) IANAL
2) The GPL sort of implies that if you're running at arm's length from
a piece of GPL software, then it's not a problem. Specifically, if you
modify, for eg, the scheduler, then those changes must be under the
GPL.

OTOH, if you write a random application [which happens to be
real-time], it shouldn't be a problem.

Gary (-;