So What? [LWN.net]

So What?

Posted Jun 23, 2008 15:23 UTC (Mon) by foo (guest, #1117)
In reply to: So What? by endecotp
Parent article: A position statement on closed-source kernel modules

It's a shot across the bow.  Companies move slowly, and
if the kernel folk were to do something drastic like say
"no more binary modules", many companies would see at as
a bolt from the blue and be looking prevent being
vulnerable to such a thing again.

With this formal heads-up, companies have time to react
in ways they find acceptable.

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So What?

Posted Jun 23, 2008 21:53 UTC (Mon) by grahammm (guest, #773) [Link]

Even if binary kernel modules were to be banned with immediate effect, it would not (or should
not) be a 'bolt out of the blue'. Binary modules already taint any kernel which uses them, and
the issue of EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL is by no means new. So the complete ban of binary modules would
just be an extension of the way things have been progressing for the last few years and not a
'bolt out of the blue'.