[CentOS] CentOS Kernel Support

Thu Jun 14 17:02:35 UTC 2018
Valeri Galtsev <galtsev at kicp.uchicago.edu>


On 06/14/18 11:16, Peter Kjellström wrote:
> On Thu, 14 Jun 2018 10:12:30 -0500
> Valeri Galtsev <galtsev at kicp.uchicago.edu> wrote:
> 
>> On 06/14/18 10:00, Peter Kjellström wrote:
>>> On Thu, 14 Jun 2018 16:26:27 +0200
>>> Gianluca Cecchi <gianluca.cecchi at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> ...
>>>>>> The src.rpm for that kernel is probably available somewhere.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm fairly certain you cannot download the SRPM for EUS kernels.
>>>>> You might if you're a Red Hat customer paying for that product
>>>>> (but don't take my word for it).
>>> ...
>>>> I agree for the format of release (SRPM), but in any case Red Hat
>>>> should provide the sources for the changes, as the kernel is
>>>> GPL-2.0 Then one can manually try to merge them in a patched
>>>> kernel in some way... Gianluca
>>>
>>> Redhat of course complies with the GPL and provide source to the
>>> customers that get access to the binary packages. They are not
>>> required to provide the sources to anyone else.
>>
>> GPL requires to provide source if everything derived from the
>> original source to everybody, not only to customers. And RedHat was
>> ever compliant with GPL. Kudos to RedHat! So, if there exist patched
>> kernels of out of support life, they should be downloadable somewhere
>> somehow.
> 
> No you are minunderstanding the GPL.

It turns out you are absolutely right. You only have provide modified 
source to users to whom you distribute derived work. Found it here:

  https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#GPLRequireSourcePostedPublic

I stand corrected. Thanks!

Valeri

> 
> You are only required to provide source to those who got the binary
> artifact(s). They then have the full GPL rights to further modify etc.
> In many cases the binaries are distributed to everyone and then so is
> the source. In other cases (such as RHEL) only source is provided to
> everyone (but that is fine too).
> 
> Consider a simpler case: I make a copy of a existing GPL pkg. I modify
> this and use it myself. I do not have to share my changes with anyone.
> 
> My copy is still GPL though..
> 
> ..so if I give a copy of the source to a friend it no longer matters
> (to him/her) wether I made that source public before or not. They can
> modify or not and make available publicly or not.
> 
> Had I sent my friend a binary copy he/she would have had the right to
> require me to also hand over the source.
> 
> None of us would have any obligations to a 3rd party.
> 
> /Peter
> 

-- 
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Valeri Galtsev
Sr System Administrator
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics
University of Chicago
Phone: 773-702-4247
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