[RFC PATCH] lint: Warn about kernel modules with a suspect license.

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Message-ID:5c4caf742c5dbe2a02aede2b20ff80eae7bc352a.camel@telenet.be

X-Debbugs-CC: guix-devel@gnu.org
[CC'ing guix-devel@gnu.org because a wider audience seems in order?]
Hi guix,
This patch adds a 'suspect-license' linter detecting some suspiciousvalues in the license fields of linux modules:
gnu/packages/file-systems.scm:1317:13: zfs@2.1.0: license appears incompatible with the Linux kernelgnu/packages/linux.scm:1185:13: acpi-call-linux-module@1.2.1: license appears incompatible with the Linux kernelgnu/packages/linux.scm:8205:15: ttyebus-linux-module@1.5-0.fe4332a: license appears incompatible with the Linux kernel
For zfs, the issue is the CDDL license. For the others, the issueis the gpl3+ license. See the article by the SFLC for why this linterdetets ZFS:
https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2016/feb/25/zfs-and-linux/#footnote-other-ZFS-copyright-holders.
I wrote a little about the CDDL-GPL incompatibility issue(most likely a GPL violation?) at https://issues.guix.gnu.org/45692#43.
Greetings,Maxime.

From 851cf20b7d5aed45c3331781afef8de3961f4bb4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001From: Maxime Devos <maximedevos@telenet.be>Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2021 23:30:15 +0200Subject: [PATCH] lint: Warn about kernel modules with a suspect license.
* guix/lint.scm  (check-suspect-license): New linter.  (%local-checkers)[suspect-license]: Register it.--- guix/lint.scm | 30 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 30 insertions(+)

Toggle diff (57 lines)diff --git a/guix/lint.scm b/guix/lint.scmindex ffd3f7007e..3a7f3be327 100644--- a/guix/lint.scm+++ b/guix/lint.scm@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@   #:use-module (guix store)   #:autoload   (guix base16) (bytevector->base16-string)   #:use-module (guix base32)+  #:use-module (guix build-system)   #:use-module (guix diagnostics)   #:use-module (guix download)   #:use-module (guix ftp-client)@@ -1347,6 +1348,31 @@ of the propagated inputs it pulls in."       (make-warning package (G_ "invalid license field")                     #:field 'license))))) +(define (check-suspect-license package)+  "Warn about suspicious license combinations in PACKAGE."+  ;; Use 'build-system-name' instead of comparing the build+  ;; system directly with 'linux-module-build-system' to avoid+  ;; loading (guix build-system linux-module) when no Linux modules+  ;; are linted.+  (define linux-module?+    (eq? 'linux-module+         (build-system-name (package-build-system package))))+  ;; This has plenty of false negatives and should+  ;; have very few false positives.+  (define gpl2-only-incompatible?+    ;; The Linux kernel is GPL-2-only, so GPL3 and later are out.+    ;; The GPL and CDDL appear to be incompatible, see+    ;; <https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2016/feb/25/zfs-and-linux/>+    ;; and <https://www.fsf.org/licensing/zfs-and-linux>.+    (memq (package-license package)+          (list gpl3 gpl3+ cddl1.0)))+  (if (and linux-module? gpl2-only-incompatible?)+      (list+       (make-warning package+                     (G_ "license appears incompatible with the Linux kernel")+                     #:field 'license))+      '()))+ (define (current-vulnerabilities*)   "Like 'current-vulnerabilities', but return the empty list upon networking or HTTP errors.  This allows network-less operation and makes problems with@@ -1762,6 +1788,10 @@ them for PACKAGE."      (description "Make sure the 'license' field is a <license> \ or a list thereof")      (check       check-license))+   (lint-checker+     (name        'suspect-license)+     (description "Detect some suspect combinations of licenses")+     (check       check-suspect-license))    (lint-checker      (name        'optional-tests)      (description "Make sure tests are only run when requested")-- 2.33.0

Maxime Devos wrote on 3 Sep 00:20 +0200

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Message-ID:bb816cb9ef0d8a33b9903114a13638351d63ea58.camel@telenet.be

I've discussed this with dstolfa on IRC:https://logs.guix.gnu.org/guix/2021-09-02.log#234707https://logs.guix.gnu.org/guix/2021-09-03.log
Greetings,Maxime.

zimoun wrote on 6 Sep 10:23 +0200

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Message-ID:868s0ajenb.fsf@gmail.com

Hi Maxime,
On Thu, 02 Sep 2021 at 23:42, Maxime Devos <maximedevos@telenet.be> wrote:

Toggle quote (3 lines)

> This patch adds a 'suspect-license' linter detecting some suspicious> values in the license fields of linux modules:

I do not know if it is worth to add a linter for really few cornercases, IMHO.

Toggle quote (6 lines)

> For zfs, the issue is the CDDL license. For the others, the issue> is the gpl3+ license. See the article by the SFLC for why this linter> detets ZFS:>> <https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2016/feb/25/zfs-and-linux/#footnote-other-ZFS-copyright-holders>.

The issue is about distributing binaries, IIUC.  From my point of view,a such linter should check X-license packages using any build-system but“linked“ to incompatible X-license packages.  Well, I do not know if itis worth to automate this since it appears to me really sparse cornercases.
Cheers,simon

Maxime Devos wrote on 8 Sep 22:42 +0200

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Message-ID:0f39f83c839a54a82e2c7abcdec554754d876810.camel@telenet.be

zimoun schreef op ma 06-09-2021 om 10:23 [+0200]:

Toggle quote (22 lines)> Hi Maxime,> > On Thu, 02 Sep 2021 at 23:42, Maxime Devos <maximedevos@telenet.be> wrote:> > > This patch adds a 'suspect-license' linter detecting some suspicious> > values in the license fields of linux modules:> > I do not know if it is worth to add a linter for really few corner> cases, IMHO.> > > For zfs, the issue is the CDDL license.  For the others, the issue> > is the gpl3+ license.  See the article by the SFLC for why this linter> > detets ZFS:> > > > <https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2016/feb/25/zfs-and-linux/#footnote-other-ZFS-copyright-holders>;.> > The issue is about distributing binaries, IIUC.  From my point of view,> a such linter should check X-license packages using any build-system but> “linked“ to incompatible X-license packages.  Well, I do not know if it> is worth to automate this since it appears to me really sparse corner> cases.

It appears that the proposed linter isn't very useful.Closing.
Greetings,Maxime

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