If you modify the GPL license you can't call it the GPL any more.
If you automatically include changes contributed to you GPLed version in
another version with a different license then you need to have the
contributors agree to this.
In reality your schematic and board design will be maintained by you and
nobody else. People may contribute suggestions that you'll want to add to the
design, but all changes with be done by you. Its not like a large software
product with hundreds of thousands of lines of code, many developers, and a
revision control system to maintan the project.
It is also likely that people will just use your design as an example. There
isn't a standard for schematic capture and board layout, like there is for
describing a program (C, C++, Java, ASM). So people who don't have your
software will need to re-enter the whole thing, and that may free them from
the GPL.
I'd suggest not worrying about the license for now. Only include your own
changes even if they are based on other people's suggestions. This way the
who project is yours and you can add future licenses as you please.
Then offer a dual license to-be-determined in the future. You don't need to
concern yourself with the intricacies of this license now, only when someone
expresses interest in it.
You could make a business modifying this design for customers, and in support
fees. The free GPL board would bring you the publicity you need to get
customs interested in sending you design contracts.
-Curtis.
On May 6, 2006 12:36 pm, pickanameanditstakensoihavethis wrote:
> looking at the following to allow for a better solution for the geep
> licencing
> still just sorting out the fine points spelling and full stops etc
> -----------------------
> licence notes
> commertial use licence
>
> the geep project is hardware , software , ip cores and
> documentation
> the GNU GPL relates to any software / ip core supplyed with the
> project
> and documentation for them
>
> the hardware/ schematics/ pcb artwork and hardware documentation is
> GNU GPL but also the following BSD licence can apply for commertial
> use if the following conditions are met
>
> if the hardware is sold as a genaral purpous device then the GNU GPL
> applies
> but a charge for hardware is permitted as well as profit
>
> if the hardware is used as an embedded device for a spesific
> aplication
> and modification of the schematics and pcb are reqiuired for this
> then the hardware / schematic and pcb is avalable for use under the
> BSD
> licence but the unit must not be marketed for use other than that
> aplication
> or set of associated aplications and must not fall into the
> catogory of
> beeing a " genaral purpous" single board computer
> and must not be marketed as such and the name geep may not be used
> to describe the
> product , but credit must be given to the geep project
>
> ---------------------------------
> it keeps the main geep project active and open to development
> while offering totaly embedded modified use should be good for all
>
>
>
> --- In "Don W. Carr" <> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > >> As a company I can tell you that if I want to put this board
> into a
> > > >> product and it is licensed under the GPL I have to do weigh
> the
> > > >> following. How much will it cost me to defend the licensing
> of my
> > > >> product
> > > >
> > > > Why would you have to?
> > > Simple, someone says I want you to open source all of your code
> > > because you have used a GPL'd product.
> > > They take the company to court, I have to defend myself
> regardless.
> > >
> > > You can get frivolous lawsuits no matter what license you
> choose,
> > > proprietary, BSD, GPL, MIT, you name it. There are really very
> few lawsuits
> > > involving GPL. Typically, the person is notified that they used
> GPL code and
> > > are not in compliance, and they apologize and do what is
> necessary to be
> > > compliant. End of story.
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Dr. Don W. Carr
> > J. G. Montenegro 2258
> > Guadalajara, Mexico
> > +52-333-630-0704
> > +52-333-836-4500 ext 2930
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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