Linode Forum

[kormoc]

Hey guys,

The kernel source hosted at:
http://linode.com/src/
is year out of date and a major version behind. Can we get updated source?

Thanks!

[caker]

Our kernels are built straight from mainline now, so there is no need to supply the source.

You can grab the .config from zcat /proc/config.gz

-Chris

[kormoc]

Ahh! Glad to hear it. Thanks much for the quick reply!

[Piki]

caker wrote: Our kernels are built straight from mainline now, so there is no need to supply the source.

You can grab the .config from zcat /proc/config.gz

-Chris

I'd recommend putting a readme file stating this along with a link to the kernel.org download page. The GPLv2 requires that you either provide the source code, or tell people where to get the source code (and provide any relevent patches if you modify the code). If Linode isn't going to be hosting the kernel source, providing a link to the kernel.org download page in a place that is obvious (putting it in linode.com/src should be fine) is good enough as per the GPLv2.

(edited to correct a sentence)

[caker]

I believe the GPL states that since we're not distributing the kernel we do not need to publish the source code.

I'll add a note to the index.

-Chris

[Piki]

I think providing a Linode-compiled kernel counts as distribution. Since the Linode-compiled kernel is used by default when us users deploy our Linodes, the kernel is effectively being distributed to us, and we can easily setup an rsync, ftp, etc. to copy it to our local computers. I know this isn't the intent, but there's nothing stopping us from doing that.

It's possible I passed over a loophole in the GPLv2, but I doubt it.

[caker]

You actually don't have access to the kernel binary - it's stored on the host machine.

-Chris

[Piki]

Never heard of the kernel operating outside the VM. But that brings up a question: are the kernel modules stored inside the VM, or on the host machine? If it's in the VM, you still need to provide the code to the kernel since most of the modules will come with the kernel, as well as any other modules used by Linode (as per the licensing of those modules).

If the kernel and all kernel-related binaries are stored on and loaded from the physical host such that we users have no access outside of modprobe/rmmod, then there is no obligation to Linode to provide a way to obtain the source since that isn't covered by the GPL. I'd still recommended posting the link in the linode.com/src (including a note that the kernel is on the physical host as opposed to the VM), but legally, there's no obligation to do so in this situation.

[hoopycat]

There are no kernel modules provided by Linode.

[Piki]

Ok, so Linode isn't in trouble for grand theft of the Linux kernel :lol:

This would honestly be my first experience with a kernel that isn't directly run from inside the kernel. Hence my thinking that the link to the source was needed. I'm sure a lot of other new comers would be thinking the same thing, too, so putting this somewhere (the two places I can think of are in the features list or in the general description) would help clear up the confusion.