pre compiled driver module shipped

[Torsten Kühnel]

Dear list readers,
        
        in integrating support for a hardware component into a free
        software
        project, i have got shipped the hardware device including a
        driver cd
        from the vendor.
        
        The device is promoted on the manufacturers website as linux
        compatible.
        
        As there is no native linux support by the kernel modules
        provided by
        the kernel archive, the vendor shipped a cd with pre-compiled
        kernel
        modules for different versions of the kernel 2.4 branch.
        
        As i try to target on actual api specifications, i contacted the
        manufacturer support about drivers compatible with 2.6 kernel
        series.
        
        I got a pre-compiled kernel module for an actual kernel version
        offered
        send to me by email, which i requested.
        
        An insmod of the shipped module causes an "kernel tainted"
        message to
        appear in the syslog.
        
        
        There are also pre-compiled libraries available on the supported
        cd to
        interact with the device directly, shared ones which install
        into the
        usual /lib or /usr/lib directory. And several header files, but
        no
        source code for the libs and the kernel module.
        
        
        My short question: Is this legal practice?
        
        
        regards
        
        Torsten Kühnel