Re: [edk2-devel] [PATCH v8 14/37] UefiCpuPkg: Add CpuMmuLib to UefiCpuPkg

["Laszlo Ersek" <lersek@redhat.com>]

On 2/1/24 20:36, Pedro Falcato wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 1, 2024 at 3:05 AM Chao Li <lichao@loongson.cn> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Pedro and Laszlo,
>>
>> Part of the code in this patch is indeed quoted from the Linux kernel, and do you think it is inapproparate? If so, we need to refactor this module, what are you suggests with the refactoring? Just remove the unused logic from the Kernel code and keep the logic good or refactor from scratch?
> 
> +CC stewards
> 
> Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer
> 
> It is wildly inappropriate. All of the code was clearly inspired by
> GPL and derives from the Linux GPL code, it's not just unused logic.
> You should triple check *every other patch* you've sent out for these
> kinds of GPL violations.
> 
> There's another way of writing this sort of code (that doesn't involve
> all the Linux mm craziness) but I don't know if changing strategies
> would be considered getting rid of any shadow of GPL/IP violation.
> 
> (As a side note, I don't really understand IP in the software world.
> If you work, say, on GPL software for a moment in time, are you always
> going to be "GPL-tainted"? Surely not? Most people in the industry
> I've talked to about this say that, yeah, no, corps don't expect that.
> But no one really seems to have drawn a line between OK and not-OK,
> but rather "please please don't sue us". And in this case I don't know
> (but I suspect it'd be uncomfortable) for someone to redesign a
> solution right away, after being "tainted". Anyway, tough problem, and
> IANAL :/)
> 

If Chao can find someone at loongson.cn who can write this code *from
zero* and has never looked at the Linux kernel, IMO that would be
preferable.

If not, then I think Chao can rewrite this code too, but it must be from
zero (starting with an empty C file in the editor). Only architecture
manuals and such should be used -- I assume all that's needed for this
paging stuff is described in sufficient detail in architecture manuals.
And yes, that implies Chao needs to manually #define new macros from
zero, if the manuals provide constants, bitmasks, etc.

Then, Pedro, you'd be invited to please check whether the new code
struck you as "foreign"! :)

Thanks!
Laszlo



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