On this topic I have to weigh in that I just subscribed to the kernel list
because I have had to undo a modification made to the kernel around version
2.6.10 that stopped the export of 'inter_module_get'. To me it appears that
some kernel developers forget that there are those of us out there who do not
have broadband connections and are shafted with low-end hardware. In this
case I am currently stuck using a Lucent Winmodem to connect to the internet.
The need to undo that patch arose when I upgraded to 2.6.12.3 and found that
the drivers provided by the linmodem project were dependant on that function.
If the new system has been targeted at only GPL symbols, then I am certain it
is definately not something good for the kernel.
I enjoy GPL'd software as much as the next guy, but forgetting that there are
people in the world dependant on third-party drivers that may or may not have
a non-GPL license attached to them shows short-sightedness on the part of the
people involved.
I have my own issues with the modem I'm currently using, and with the fact
that Lucent sits behind a wall of NDA's and other legal documents and refuses
to release the entire source of the driver, instead making us rely on a
driver that has a precompiled binary as part of it's source. I'm certain
there are people that could reverse engineer the binary (I could do it
myself), but with the current state of the law in the US and abroad doing so
could cause major legal troubles.
Well... enough rambling. I've used too much bandwidth as it is.
DRH
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