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Software Freedom Conservancy: Distributing Linux With ZFS Is Illegal (phoronix.com)
LichtSpektren writes: Phoronix reports that Bradley M. Kuhn and Karen M. Sandler at the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFS) have posted a blog post today arguing that Canonical's plan to distribute Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" with support for the ZFS file system violates the Linux kernel's GPLv2 license.
On February 18, Dustin Kirkland at Canonical wrote on his blog: "We at Canonical have conducted a legal review, including discussion with the industry's leading software freedom legal counsel, of the licenses that apply to the Linux kernel and to ZFS. And in doing so, we have concluded that we are acting within the rights granted and in compliance with their terms of both of those licenses...The CDDL cannot apply to the Linux kernel because zfs.ko is a self-contained file system module — the kernel itself is quite obviously not a derivative work of this new file system. And zfs.ko, as a self-contained file system module, is clearly not a derivative work of the Linux kernel but rather quite obviously a derivative work of OpenZFS and OpenSolaris. Equivalent exceptions have existed for many years, for various other stand alone, self-contained, non-GPL kernel modules. Our conclusion is good for Ubuntu users, good for Linux, and good for all of free and open source software."
The SFS's blog post of today states: "We are sympathetic to Canonical's frustration in this desire to easily support more features for their users. However, as set out below, we have concluded that their distribution of zfs.ko violates the GPL."
On February 18, Dustin Kirkland at Canonical wrote on his blog: "We at Canonical have conducted a legal review, including discussion with the industry's leading software freedom legal counsel, of the licenses that apply to the Linux kernel and to ZFS. And in doing so, we have concluded that we are acting within the rights granted and in compliance with their terms of both of those licenses...The CDDL cannot apply to the Linux kernel because zfs.ko is a self-contained file system module — the kernel itself is quite obviously not a derivative work of this new file system. And zfs.ko, as a self-contained file system module, is clearly not a derivative work of the Linux kernel but rather quite obviously a derivative work of OpenZFS and OpenSolaris. Equivalent exceptions have existed for many years, for various other stand alone, self-contained, non-GPL kernel modules. Our conclusion is good for Ubuntu users, good for Linux, and good for all of free and open source software."
The SFS's blog post of today states: "We are sympathetic to Canonical's frustration in this desire to easily support more features for their users. However, as set out below, we have concluded that their distribution of zfs.ko violates the GPL."
So, Software Freedom means that you can't do what you want with your software? Is this one of those Richard Stalin - I mean, Stallman - groups or something?
Love sees no species.
Translation: *whaaa*We don't like ZFS*whaaa*
The only possible grounds for complaint is that it's shipped with the base kernel (linux-image-4.4.0-7-generic) I've not unpacked the source package to see if they ship it with zfs already shoe-spooned into the tree. (but, there is an update-zfs.sh script in the debian specific parts) In fact, most of the modules are "GPL", not "GPL v2"; and yes, the zfs stuff are the only non-GPL modules in the package.
HOWEVER: Adding a file to an archive of your own making (i.e. a dot.deb, dot.rpm, dot.pkg, dot.zip, dot.tgz, ...) has ZERO entanglement with the GPL. If that were true, ISO's and disk images would be "illegal".
IOW, Oracle is just like a woman who is weak and lacks agency and needs an SJW to take up her cause and be offended on her behalf.