Re: [ts-7000] Re: new GNU openhardware ep9302 based SBC

["Don W. Carr" <>]

Sun has also GPLed  Sparc design and multi-threading tech as well:

http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS6194768111.html

Yes, GPL is much more common for software, but people are using it for hardware designs.

And, you GPL the design, anybody can make hardware from the design.

Also, for the software running on the GPL hardware, there would be no
problems with running proprietary code, but you would not be able to
make proprietary changes to the hardware design. All derived works of
the hardware design would also have to be GPLed.

Not sure what compiling a hardware design would consist of in a legal
sense though. Is that when you turn the design into actual hardware???

On 5/5/06, pickanameanditstakensoihavethis <> wrote:

--- In "Mark Carlson" <>
wrote:
>
> On 5/5/06, pickanameanditstakensoihavethis <>

wrote:
> > well the licencing has been set to gnu gpl in order to cover 
the
> > software , ip cores and hardware , but the hardware may have to
> > change to a more bsd like licence as it looks like a gpl will
> > prevent  manufactuers form making a profit from manufactureing
it,
> > and as without profit it would not be worth making, that will
need
> > to be checked and changed to allow it, if it is the case
> 
> Quick question:
> I'm no licensing expert, but since you've already released the
> hardware as GPL, don't you have to keep it that way now? 
(Derivative
> works and such)  Or am I incorrect?  Is there a way to release it
> under the BSD license now?
>

actualy it is more to do with the fact that the gpl licence is not
relavent to hardware it will prpbably remain gpl but a modified
version of gpl for hardware ,, i was aware that there was an attempt
to create a gpl licence for hardware a couple of years ago , but
still searching for it atm ,think nothing came of it because no one
could agree on it 
 
the gpl licence had been used as it covers the software and ip used 
so was carried on to the hardware, but interestingly the gpl
licencing only covers the documentation in printed or other form and
media that it might be stored on,  but fails to cover any hardware
made from it , only the schematics and artwork in printed form , and
not the physical pcbs once made , from what i can tell atm 

ie a built up unit is not what the licence has covered it only
covered the instructions on how to do it, 

even if not  the assembled pcb could be considered media and costs
of producing that is allowed  
   
as the copywrite holder for the design the hardware has almost a, do
as you will make as you want  build into whatever you like 
licencing with it but give us credit along with the usual disclamers
to everything  , but the gpl is what the default ip cores will be
using , 

the big point that i think has been causing most concern is the fact
that if the whole system is gpl  it may prevent use as an embedded
product with a non gnu ip and software ie say a set top ip tv box 
the licence needs to ensure that that use is posible without
affecting there ip if thay wish to keep that closed source 
that is not intended and not what we will want , and afaik not what
the GPL licence will require of them 

although whatever licence gets used it will only allow less
restrictions than the gpl on the hardware side that is appearing to
be less and less sutable to cover it 
 
dave

> -Mark
>

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Dr. Don W. Carr
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