Reply to post: Re: GPL?

Get ready for Google's proprietary Android. It's coming – analyst

Vic

Re: GPL?

Correct me if I'm wrong

OK - you're wrong. Sorry...

since Android is Linux-based, wouldn't Android have to stay open source to not be in violation of the GNU Public License (GPL)?

Android is based on the Linux kernel, so - unless they change the kernel - that bit must remain GPLv2.

But the rest of the Android system - i.e. all the userspace stuff - is what's known as a "mere aggregation", and is not covered by the kernel licence; each application can have its own licence. AIUI, substantially all the userspace is Apache-licenced, so Google are under no obligation to supply any source to that at all.

Vic.

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