Re: [ros-dev] [ros-diffs] [evb] 45874: - New Framebuffer (Linear) Display Driver to support new unified VGA/VBE miniport. Based on NT4 DDK Sample, with modifications by me (marked with // eVb) to support new functionality needed for 2003-era driver. - Also use

[Steven Edwards]

On Fri, Mar 5, 2010 at 12:29 PM,  <evb(a)svn.reactos.org> wrote:
>   - New Framebuffer (Linear) Display Driver to support
> new unified VGA/VBE miniport. Based on NT4 DDK Sample, with modifications by me (marked
> with // eVb) to support new functionality needed for 2003-era driver.
>  - Also used Virtual Box Display Driver as sample, which is based on "GPL"
> Windows 2003 DDK sample driver. Could not use 2003 DDK sample directly because of
> licensing issues, and feel unsafe about VirtualBox "GPL" driver that says
> "PATENTED AND ONLY FOR USE IN MICROSOFT PRODUCTS".
>  - Note that old driver was based off DDK sample too, but with variables renamed (some
> comments identical!) and code reformatted, then marked as "GPL". This is not
> very good way to share/use code... one day someone can teach you lesson. 
I am not sure what this comment is supposed to mean. Are you saying
that the wishes of the Author should not be respected? The PATENTED
statement is an extra qualifier. We are talking about two issues,
patents (which are vague and Copyright which is clear). Clearly the
author being Microsoft does not want it's code used as a derived work
for a non-windows OS. As the copyright owner and licensor that is
their right. Or do you propose that developers ignore the copyright
law and do it anyway?

If you want to import the Windows 2003 DDK driver and create a derived
work in violation of the terms, do the rest of us a favor and upload a
scanned copy of your drivers license, passport or whatever as a
resource for this driver so Microsoft will know exactly who to sue.

-- 
Steven Edwards

"There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and
that is an idea whose time has come." - Victor Hugo