> Now that we have network namespace support merged it is time to
...
Now that the namespace updates are part of 2.6.24,
there is a major inconsistency in network EXPORT_SYMBOLs.
It used to be that an external network module could get away without
having to add a MODULE_LICENSE("GPL*") line to the source.
In support of that, common networking functions (still) use EXPORT_SYMBOL()
rather than the more restrictive EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL().
Eg. register_netdev(), sk_alloc(), __dev_get_by_name().
But now, none of those three are actually usable by default,
because they all require "init_net", which is EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL().
So.. It appears that one of three things should really happen next:
1) Change the other exports to also be EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL.
2) Have register_netdev, sk_alloc, and __dev_get_by_name default
to using init_net when NULL is specified in the namespace field.
or
3) Change init_net to be EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL.
Right now, things are just a bit inconsistent, and it's not clear
whether the namespace changes intended this consequence or not.
Cheers
(as for me, I think all kernel modules are GPL, whether they have
the MODULE_LICENSE line or not, so flames to /dev/null on that).
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