[U-Boot] U-book and GPLv3? (fwd)

Thomas Doerfler
2009-06-27T09:01:15Z

Detlev,

Detlev Zundel schrieb:
> Hi Jean-Christophe,
>
>> On 00:50 Fri 26 Jun , Richard Stallman wrote:
...
>>> If you buy a car, or a medical tool for my own use, you deserve to be able
>>> to change the software in it, just as you can change it physically.
>> Certanly not when you use your car your are also on the public domain (road)
>> so it your car have a system faillure you can kill yourself and kill other
>> people. Remember that you are not allow to modify your car as your wish there
>> is law that will forbiden you to do this in a lot' of country.
>
...
>
> Of course you can modify your own car. This is *not* forbidden - why do
> you claim such a thing? Heck you can even attach a rocket to it *as
> long* as you don't use the car on public streets. If you do, all you
> got to do is to get your modifications approved. No big deal, go to a
> <insert favorite car brand here> meeting and look at the cars there.
>
> I can even build my own car from scratch and get it certified.

Maybe you are right.

But for actually modifying safety critcal software (e.g. for airbag
control, ABS/ESP control, not talking about break-by-wire/steer by wire
systems) properly you will need MUCH more than the source code. You will
need the requirements specifications, the SW design documentation, the
test specifications.

Wouldn't it make sense to add a paragraph to the GPL, stating that a
company using GPL software in their system must also provide all that
documentation to their customers? Only then the SW modification can be
properly done?

Don't forget that a proper test area is also needed, which can simulate
all kind of street conditions. For ABS/Airbag you may also need a crash
test environment including soem sample cars to try thigns out.

Without access to these, you will not be able to prove proper system
behaviour to the certification authorities.

(set the irony tag wherever you find it suitable.

Back to being earnest: I think the GPL is a very important license to
generate open-source software and that the results on the SW quality are
very significant. The switch to GPLv3 may make sense for many SW
systems, mainly in the desktop/gadget area.

Even the traditional industry has learned in the last few years, that
open source software is nothing to be afraid of and that sharing the own
general know how based on SW improvements is a benefit for all.

But similar to the fact, that there is not ONE operating system fitting
all needs and ONE SW package fitting all needs, there also is not ONE OS
license, that fits to all requirements.

So once again I think GPLv3 for U-Boot would avoid using it in many
possible applications, which would be a loss for the project and its users.

wkr,
Thomas.

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