GPL license and linux kernel modifications

From: "Bansh"
Date: Tue Jan 27 2004 - 11:27:00 EST


Hello!

I've got a question, which I can't resolve myself about linux kernel binary code. The problem is GPL license which tells us that:

----------- cut COPYING -----------
The source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for
making modifications to it. For an executable work, complete source
code means all the source code for all modules it contains, plus any
associated interface definition files, plus the scripts used to
control compilation and installation of the executable. However, as a
special exception, the source code distributed need not include
anything that is normally distributed (in either source or binary
form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the
operating system on which the executable runs, unless that component
itself accompanies the executable.
----------- cut COPYING -----------

It gives the possibility to not distribute compiler and other preprocessing tools.
It looks like one can make a preprocessor or even one's own compiler (with one's syntax) which will be used for kernel building. But it's not required to distribute this compiler. So I can distribute linux kernel source code modified this way but no one will be able to build it. Is it ok?

Such compiler/preprocessor can be really very tricky and can hide the modifications very much, thus allowing to hide proprietary know-how.

Bansh
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