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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Upstream Linux Developers Take Aim At TUXEDO's Out-Of-Tree GPLv3 Drivers (www.phoronix.com)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by pnutzh4x0r@lemmy.ndlug.org to c/linux@lemmy.ml

36 comments fedilink hide all child comments

A new patch series posted today to the Linux kernel mailing list would block kernel modules/drivers from TUXEDO Computers from accessing GPL-only symbols in the kernel.

TUXEDO Computers maintains a set of kernel drivers currently out-of-tree for their various laptops for additional functionality around power profiles, keyboard backlight controls, WMI, sensor monitoring, the embedded controller, and other functionality. They have said they want to eventually mainline these drivers but in the name of allowing for rapid hardware support they maintain them out-of-tree and ship them with their Ubuntu-based TUXEDO OS and also have the driver sources available via GitLab.

The issue at hand though is that these kernel drivers marked as GPLv3+ and that conflicts with the upstream Linux kernel code licensed as GPLv2. There was a commit to change the driver license from GPLv3 to GPL(v2) but was reverted by TUXEDO Computers on the basis of "until the legal stuff is sorted out."

Update: TUXEDO Computers Relicenses Some Of Their Drivers To GPLv2

As of yesterday, TUXEDO Computers has now been able to re-license their driver consisting of fully in-house code from GPLv3 to GPLv2+. These are the TUXEDO Computers drivers where it's all written by TUXEDO employees and not having to worry about code from any third-party developers or other vendors.

The gxtp7380, ite_8291, ite_8291_lb, ite_8297, stk8321, tuxedo_compatibility_check, tuxedo_nb02_nvidia_power_ctrl, and tuxedo_tuxi drivers are the initial ones able to be moved to the GPLv2+ licensing for satisfying upstream Linux kernel developers. Moving the other drivers to GPLv2+ will take longer due to needing to check with the associated parties that contributed to those drivers.

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[–] jnk@masto.es 22 points 1 week ago (2 children)

@bunitor @eldavi yeah, why? This just shows that, if more hardware companies actively supported linux, there would be no issues left for non-tech end users, which would be awesome.

Please buy laptops and desktops from tuxedo, system76, framework, etc, and recommend them. They're doing a great job and do deserve the support.

[–] theRealBassist@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

I use TuxedoOS on my desktop at home and it's been great there as well. Can't recommend it enough.

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Please buy laptops and desktops from tuxedo, system76, framework, etc, and recommend them. They’re doing a great job and do deserve the support.

amen. i'll continue to buy from them for the things that i depend on (eg low cost personal servers and high end work laptops); but i plan to use a generic low-spec windows laptop for daily driving to teach me what the general linux user experience is like these days since lemmy is showing me that i still get something out of helping other people while i simultaneously get to leverage my knowledge and experience in an arena that's been enabling my life for these last 3 decades to do so.

it's bit like the mandates that i get from my management as an individual contributor; but more "WTF" and the "TIL's" that i get from it makes it more fun for me.