---
title: Linux Kernel, Modules and Plugins
date: 2010-07-17T23:38:27+00:00
modified: 2013-05-26T19:13:00+00:00
permalink: https://kaspars.net/blog/linux-kernel-modules-and-plugins
post_type: post
author:
  name: Kaspars
  avatar: https://reverse.kaspars.net/gravatar/avatar/92bfcd3a8c3a21a033a6484d32c25a40b113ec6891f674336081513d5c98ef76?s=96&d=mm&r=g
category:
  - WordPress
---

# Linux Kernel, Modules and Plugins

Here are some [views expressed by Linus Torvalds](http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Kernel/proprietary-kernel-modules.html) about the Linux kernel, plugins and how he thinks about derivative work. Very relevant to [what I said](https://kaspars.net/blog/gpl-sockets) about *plugin interfaces* and *user space*.

So, do themes and plugins serve a *system-level* or a *user-level* function?

p.s. Some have compared WordPress plugin and theme API to the way Linux loads kernel modules, when in fact relating it to *system call* interface (SCI) would be more appropriate.