Softing Firmware on gitorious

Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Oliver Hartkopp]

Hello Kurt,

i just uploaded the Softing firmware from BerliOS to our new 

https://gitorious.org/linux-can/can-misc

git repository.

See at 

https://gitorious.org/linux-can/can-misc/blobs/master/firmware/softing-fw-4.6-binaries.tar.gz

Currently the only reference is in the Linux Kernel in the Softing Kconfig:

config CAN_SOFTING_CS
        tristate "Softing Gmbh CAN pcmcia cards"
        depends on PCMCIA
        depends on CAN_SOFTING
        ---help---
          Support for PCMCIA cards from Softing Gmbh & some cards
          from Vector Gmbh.
          You need firmware for these, which you can get at
          http://developer.berlios.de/projects/socketcan/
          This version of the driver is written against
          firmware version 4.6 (softing-fw-4.6-binaries.tar.gz)
          In order to use the card as CAN device, you need the Softing generic
          support too.


The question is now:

1. change the link in the Kconfig
2. Add the PCMCIA firmware to the Linux Kernel (linux/firmware/*.ihex)
3. 1 & 2

???

Regards,
Oliver

Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Alexander Stein]

Hello,

On Wednesday 11 January 2012 17:18:55 Oliver Hartkopp wrote:
> The question is now:
> 
> 1. change the link in the Kconfig
> 2. Add the PCMCIA firmware to the Linux Kernel (linux/firmware/*.ihex)
> 3. 1 & 2

According to firmware/README.AddingFirmware new firmware files should go to 
git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git
For more details see the mentioned readme file.

Best regards,
Alexander
-- 
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Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Oliver Hartkopp]

On 11.01.2012 17:57, Alexander Stein wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> On Wednesday 11 January 2012 17:18:55 Oliver Hartkopp wrote:
>> The question is now:
>>
>> 1. change the link in the Kconfig
>> 2. Add the PCMCIA firmware to the Linux Kernel (linux/firmware/*.ihex)
>> 3. 1 & 2
> 
> According to firmware/README.AddingFirmware new firmware files should go to 
> git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git
> For more details see the mentioned readme file.


Hello Alexander,

thanks for the hint!

As already written to Marc, i'll search for some license info in the 2008
driver package. Looking into the firmware git repo and especially into the
file WHENCE

http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git;a=blob;f=WHENCE

we have a wide variance between 'no license' and detailed license information.

Let's see :-)

Best regards,
Oliver

Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Marc Kleine-Budde]

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On 01/11/2012 05:18 PM, Oliver Hartkopp wrote:
> Hello Kurt,
> 
> i just uploaded the Softing firmware from BerliOS to our new 
> 
> https://gitorious.org/linux-can/can-misc
> 
> git repository.
> 
> See at 
> 
> https://gitorious.org/linux-can/can-misc/blobs/master/firmware/softing-fw-4.6-binaries.tar.gz
> 
> Currently the only reference is in the Linux Kernel in the Softing Kconfig:
> 
> config CAN_SOFTING_CS
>         tristate "Softing Gmbh CAN pcmcia cards"
>         depends on PCMCIA
>         depends on CAN_SOFTING
>         ---help---
>           Support for PCMCIA cards from Softing Gmbh & some cards
>           from Vector Gmbh.
>           You need firmware for these, which you can get at
>           http://developer.berlios.de/projects/socketcan/
>           This version of the driver is written against
>           firmware version 4.6 (softing-fw-4.6-binaries.tar.gz)
>           In order to use the card as CAN device, you need the Softing generic
>           support too.
> 
> 
> The question is now:
> 
> 1. change the link in the Kconfig
> 2. Add the PCMCIA firmware to the Linux Kernel (linux/firmware/*.ihex)
> 3. 1 & 2

3.

It would be nice to have a license statement on that files. As these are
in binary form, the driver would be removed from the debian kernel.
What's the official source of that firmware? Do we have a contact to
softing?

Marc

-- 
Pengutronix e.K.                  | Marc Kleine-Budde           |
Industrial Linux Solutions        | Phone: +49-231-2826-924     |
Vertretung West/Dortmund          | Fax:   +49-5121-206917-5555 |
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Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Oliver Hartkopp]

On 11.01.2012 17:57, Marc Kleine-Budde wrote:

> On 01/11/2012 05:18 PM, Oliver Hartkopp wrote:
>> Hello Kurt,
>>
>> i just uploaded the Softing firmware from BerliOS to our new 
>>
>> https://gitorious.org/linux-can/can-misc
>>
>> git repository.
>>
>> See at 
>>
>> https://gitorious.org/linux-can/can-misc/blobs/master/firmware/softing-fw-4.6-binaries.tar.gz
>>
>> Currently the only reference is in the Linux Kernel in the Softing Kconfig:
>>
>> config CAN_SOFTING_CS
>>         tristate "Softing Gmbh CAN pcmcia cards"
>>         depends on PCMCIA
>>         depends on CAN_SOFTING
>>         ---help---
>>           Support for PCMCIA cards from Softing Gmbh & some cards
>>           from Vector Gmbh.
>>           You need firmware for these, which you can get at
>>           http://developer.berlios.de/projects/socketcan/
>>           This version of the driver is written against
>>           firmware version 4.6 (softing-fw-4.6-binaries.tar.gz)
>>           In order to use the card as CAN device, you need the Softing generic
>>           support too.
>>
>>
>> The question is now:
>>
>> 1. change the link in the Kconfig
>> 2. Add the PCMCIA firmware to the Linux Kernel (linux/firmware/*.ihex)
>> 3. 1 & 2
> 
> 3.
> 
> It would be nice to have a license statement on that files. As these are
> in binary form, the driver would be removed from the debian kernel.
> What's the official source of that firmware? Do we have a contact to
> softing?
> 


Yes. See here:

https://lists.berlios.de/pipermail/socketcan-core/2008-June/001613.html

I'll check the mentioned driver packages for license information which i don't
have on my current machine here.

Regards,
Oliver

Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Kurt Van Dijck]

On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 06:37:00PM +0100, Oliver Hartkopp wrote:
> On 11.01.2012 17:57, Marc Kleine-Budde wrote:
> 
> > On 01/11/2012 05:18 PM, Oliver Hartkopp wrote:
> >> Hello Kurt,
> >>
> >> i just uploaded the Softing firmware from BerliOS to our new 
> >>
> >> https://gitorious.org/linux-can/can-misc
I was thinking to pick this up sooner or later. Thanks for doing this already.

> >>
> >> git repository.
> >>
> >> See at 
> >>
> >> https://gitorious.org/linux-can/can-misc/blobs/master/firmware/softing-fw-4.6-binaries.tar.gz
> >>
> >> Currently the only reference is in the Linux Kernel in the Softing Kconfig:
> >>
> >> config CAN_SOFTING_CS
> >>         tristate "Softing Gmbh CAN pcmcia cards"
> >>         depends on PCMCIA
> >>         depends on CAN_SOFTING
> >>         ---help---
> >>           Support for PCMCIA cards from Softing Gmbh & some cards
> >>           from Vector Gmbh.
> >>           You need firmware for these, which you can get at
> >>           http://developer.berlios.de/projects/socketcan/
> >>           This version of the driver is written against
> >>           firmware version 4.6 (softing-fw-4.6-binaries.tar.gz)
> >>           In order to use the card as CAN device, you need the Softing generic
> >>           support too.
> >>
> >>
> >> The question is now:
> >>
> >> 1. change the link in the Kconfig
Yes
> >> 2. Add the PCMCIA firmware to the Linux Kernel (linux/firmware/*.ihex)
If I read the READMEs well, new firmware should go into a seperate repo? Am I wrong?

I admit that putting the firmware into linux/firmware/*.ihex would solve a distribution
problem ...
> >> 3. 1 & 2
> > 
> > 3.
> > 
> > It would be nice to have a license statement on that files. As these are
> > in binary form, the driver would be removed from the debian kernel.
> > What's the official source of that firmware? Do we have a contact to
> > softing?
The official source is softing. I only repackaged the firmware from 'unsigned char ...[]' in
header files towards seperate blobs to be used with the firmware interface.
> > 
> 
> 
> Yes. See here:
> 
> https://lists.berlios.de/pipermail/socketcan-core/2008-June/001613.html
This convinces me as a developer that they have not problem.
> 
> I'll check the mentioned driver packages for license information which i don't
> have on my current machine here.
I'll look too.
> 
> Regards,
> Oliver
Kurt

Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Kurt Van Dijck]

> > Yes. See here:
> > 
> > https://lists.berlios.de/pipermail/socketcan-core/2008-June/001613.html
> This convinces me as a developer that they have not problem.
> > 
> > I'll check the mentioned driver packages for license information which i don't
> > have on my current machine here.
> I'll look too.

The 5.01 package states the binary blob (and their code) is GPLv2.
The remainders of the 4.6 package I still have (only the firmware part) also
state it's all released under GPLv2.

Kurt

Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Marc Kleine-Budde]

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On 01/12/2012 10:02 AM, Kurt Van Dijck wrote:
>>> https://lists.berlios.de/pipermail/socketcan-core/2008-June/001613.html
>> This convinces me as a developer that they have not problem.
>>>
>>> I'll check the mentioned driver packages for license information which i don't
>>> have on my current machine here.
>> I'll look too.
> 
> The 5.01 package states the binary blob (and their code) is GPLv2.
> The remainders of the 4.6 package I still have (only the firmware part) also
> state it's all released under GPLv2.

Do you mean the binary blob's source code is available as GPLv2? Do we
have access to the source code? Would be interesting for the Debian Kernel.

Marc

-- 
Pengutronix e.K.                  | Marc Kleine-Budde           |
Industrial Linux Solutions        | Phone: +49-231-2826-924     |
Vertretung West/Dortmund          | Fax:   +49-5121-206917-5555 |
Amtsgericht Hildesheim, HRA 2686  | http://www.pengutronix.de   |


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Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Kurt Van Dijck]

On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 10:13:38AM +0100, Marc Kleine-Budde wrote:
> On 01/12/2012 10:02 AM, Kurt Van Dijck wrote:
> >>> https://lists.berlios.de/pipermail/socketcan-core/2008-June/001613.html
> >> This convinces me as a developer that they have not problem.
> >>>
> >>> I'll check the mentioned driver packages for license information which i don't
> >>> have on my current machine here.
> >> I'll look too.
> > 
> > The 5.01 package states the binary blob (and their code) is GPLv2.
> > The remainders of the 4.6 package I still have (only the firmware part) also
> > state it's all released under GPLv2.
> 
> Do you mean the binary blob's source code is available as GPLv2? Do we
> have access to the source code? Would be interesting for the Debian Kernel.
Softing releases a linux driver package, with linux driver code and firmware
under GPLv2. The firmware is packaged as array's in c files.
The sources of the firmware itself are not available.

Kurt

Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Marc Kleine-Budde]

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On 01/12/2012 10:30 AM, Kurt Van Dijck wrote:
>>> The 5.01 package states the binary blob (and their code) is GPLv2.
>>> The remainders of the 4.6 package I still have (only the firmware part) also
>>> state it's all released under GPLv2.
>>
>> Do you mean the binary blob's source code is available as GPLv2? Do we
>> have access to the source code? Would be interesting for the Debian Kernel.
> Softing releases a linux driver package, with linux driver code and firmware
> under GPLv2. The firmware is packaged as array's in c files.
> The sources of the firmware itself are not available.

IANAL, some people think that a binary firmwarer w/o source code
available under GPLv2 isn't GPv2.

However, we can document that in the WHENCE file of the linux firmware
reporitory.

Marc

-- 
Pengutronix e.K.                  | Marc Kleine-Budde           |
Industrial Linux Solutions        | Phone: +49-231-2826-924     |
Vertretung West/Dortmund          | Fax:   +49-5121-206917-5555 |
Amtsgericht Hildesheim, HRA 2686  | http://www.pengutronix.de   |


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Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Kurt Van Dijck]

On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 10:34:04AM +0100, Marc Kleine-Budde wrote:
> On 01/12/2012 10:30 AM, Kurt Van Dijck wrote:
> >>> The 5.01 package states the binary blob (and their code) is GPLv2.
> >>> The remainders of the 4.6 package I still have (only the firmware part) also
> >>> state it's all released under GPLv2.
> >>
> >> Do you mean the binary blob's source code is available as GPLv2? Do we
> >> have access to the source code? Would be interesting for the Debian Kernel.
> > Softing releases a linux driver package, with linux driver code and firmware
> > under GPLv2. The firmware is packaged as array's in c files.
> > The sources of the firmware itself are not available.
> 
> IANAL, some people think that a binary firmwarer w/o source code
> available under GPLv2 isn't GPv2.
I _think_ the Debian goal is to have a Free system. 
Firmware under GPLv2 without source, IMHO, _is_ GPLv2, but not Free.

>
> However, we can document that in the WHENCE file of the linux firmware
> reporitory.
I think we can distribute the files, as long as we mention the source
(=Softing) to comply with the GPLv2.
> 
> Marc
Regards,
Kurt

Re: Softing Firmware on gitorious

[Marc Kleine-Budde]

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On 01/12/2012 11:01 AM, Kurt Van Dijck wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 10:34:04AM +0100, Marc Kleine-Budde wrote:
>> On 01/12/2012 10:30 AM, Kurt Van Dijck wrote:
>>>>> The 5.01 package states the binary blob (and their code) is GPLv2.
>>>>> The remainders of the 4.6 package I still have (only the firmware part) also
>>>>> state it's all released under GPLv2.
>>>>
>>>> Do you mean the binary blob's source code is available as GPLv2? Do we
>>>> have access to the source code? Would be interesting for the Debian Kernel.
>>> Softing releases a linux driver package, with linux driver code and firmware
>>> under GPLv2. The firmware is packaged as array's in c files.
>>> The sources of the firmware itself are not available.
>>
>> IANAL, some people think that a binary firmwarer w/o source code
>> available under GPLv2 isn't GPv2.
> I _think_ the Debian goal is to have a Free system. 
> Firmware under GPLv2 without source, IMHO, _is_ GPLv2, but not Free.

My opinion is: There is no GPLv2 without source :)
The driver is GPLv2, but the firmware isn't. But I don't mind using the
driver. I just wanted to point out that it's probably not included in
debian's standard kernel.

>> However, we can document that in the WHENCE file of the linux firmware
>> reporitory.
> I think we can distribute the files, as long as we mention the source
> (=Softing) to comply with the GPLv2.

I think we should add the firmware to the linux firmware archive and
document its origin.

Marc

-- 
Pengutronix e.K.                  | Marc Kleine-Budde           |
Industrial Linux Solutions        | Phone: +49-231-2826-924     |
Vertretung West/Dortmund          | Fax:   +49-5121-206917-5555 |
Amtsgericht Hildesheim, HRA 2686  | http://www.pengutronix.de   |


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