From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Wolfgang Denk Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 09:22:07 +0200 Subject: [U-Boot-Users] GPL Licensing issues In-Reply-To: Your message of "Sun, 26 Sep 2004 17:54:48 PDT." <6.1.1.1.0.20040926174406.01e1d130@wheresmymailserver.com> Message-ID: <20040927072212.C565BC1430@atlas.denx.de> List-Id: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit To: u-boot@lists.denx.de In message <6.1.1.1.0.20040926174406.01e1d130@wheresmymailserver.com> you wrote: > The files in the examples directory - since everything needs to be linked > to u-boot to work, and u-boot is released under the GPL, does that mean > that custom user applications are also under the GPL - or do you use > Linus's relationship of kernel/application separation? Standalone applications only use exported U-Boot services. They do not have to be linked against any U-Boot code. So ther eis no need for standalone applications to be GPLed - exactly like the kernel/application separation in Linux. > Either is OK - I was just going to be talking to some people and wanted to > make sure they understood things about how to keep their secret sauce to > them selves. See http://www.denx.de/twiki/bin/view/UBootdoc/Presentation for some materrial I prepared for soem U-Boot presentations myself; it covers this topic in http://www.denx.de/twiki/bin/view/UBootdoc/StandalonePrograms > I assume that if it does use U-Boot functions, then the application is a > derivative work, and should be covered under the GPL (must make available But standalone applications doe not use U-Boot functions by linking, only through the exported interface. Just like Linux system calls. > source, per the GPL). If the application does not use any U-boot functions, > it would not be classified a derivative work - because it could be stand > alone program, and burned into flash without U-boot to load it. No. You can burn it into flash, but you still need U-boot to run it - like you need a Linux kernel to run a proprietary application program. Best regards, Wolfgang Denk -- Software Engineering: Embedded and Realtime Systems, Embedded Linux Phone: (+49)-8142-4596-87 Fax: (+49)-8142-4596-88 Email: wd at denx.de I am an atheist, thank God!