This reminds me of a discussion we were having at Technologic
Systems HQ the other day concerning GPL interpretation of what
is "source code".
For instance, lets say we created some driver in the GPL'ed kernel
using some in-house high level proprietary UML modeling tool. When
we click "File, create linux driver C source" out pops some machine-
generated C source code-- probably highly obfuscated and useless to
a kernel hacker but source code nonetheless.
Now I wonder how high up the GPL licensing clauses would spread
too? Does one have to give out the modeling tool project file since
that is the real "source"? Its useless and may as well be
encrypted without the in-house program so would one have to give out
the creating program now too? How much can of that company's inner
workings and IP be "opened up" with that simple GPL lever of
compiling in statically the source code of a driver in the kernel
binary?
I guess what I'm getting at is can I just use "gcc -S" to generate
an sdcard.s assembly source from our C sources, obfuscate it, and
release that (mostly useless) assembly code under the GPL? Then we
can compile the option statically in the kernel, allowing customers
the convenience of not having to use an initrd and being able to
recompile their own kernels and possibly bring the source to 2.6
kernels. The SD card association should still be happy since none
of their secrets can really be derived from the "source" and
although the Linux community may not like that type of driver
source, at least we couldn't be litigated for GPL infringment.
//Jesse Off
--- In Curtis Monroe <> wrote:
>
>
> I still like the idea of a TS-7300 BIOS:
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ts-7000/message/2548
>
>
> You can read about the TS-7300 boot sequence here:
> ftp://ftp.embeddedarm.com/ts-arm-linux-cd/manuals/ts-7300-manual-
rev1.1.pdf
> Section 2.3 Boot Sequence
>
>
> -Curtis.
>
>
> On May 31, 2006 10:03 pm, Yan Seiner wrote:
> > --- In "Jesse Off" <joff@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Currently, our MBR code (Only 446 bytes available after
partition
> > > table) loads in a kernel and an initrd from dedicated
partitions on
> > > the SD card and starts Linux. The initrd contains the FPGA
bitstream
> > > and the Linux driver modules for SD. These are loaded (along
with
> > > modules for the ethernet and serial ports) and then the initrd
does a
> > > pivot_root to the SD EXT2 filesystem and then frees the
initrd. There
> > > is no onboard flash on the TS-7300-- only SD.
> >
> > Jesse and Co.:
> >
> > I've been going through the archives regarding the TS7300 and
this
> > caught my eye.
> >
> > In my work with webcams, I came across the kernel maintainers'
> > decision to eliminate binary blobs from kernel drivers. See for
> > example
> > <http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0408.3/1458.html>
and
> > follwoing, and <http://www.smcc.demon.nl/webcam/>.
> >
> > So... what follows is purely conceptual; I have no idea if it is
> > possible and if possible if practical.
> >
> > Would it be possible to write the proprietary portion of the SD
code
> > into the FPGA, and then use a GPL kernel module to access the SD
card
> > via the FPGA using a published API?
> >
> > The kernel could boot using GPL MMC code off the SD card. Once
the
> > kernel is booted, it would use the FPGA SD interface. The boot
> > process may be slower but it would be unencumbered by binary
blobs.
> >
> > If this is possible, it would create a kernel-version
independent way
> > of accessing the SD card.
> >
> > Dumb? Possible? I have no idea. But I would like to run a 2.6
> > kernel on the 7300....
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
You can search right from your browser? It's easy and it's free. See how.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/_7bhrC/NGxNAA/yQLSAA/CFFolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ts-7000/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|