Re: [f-cpu] License issues GPL/LGPL and Juergen Goeritz' SoC

[Michael Riepe <michael@stud.uni-hannover.de>]

On Sat, Sep 08, 2001 at 10:07:30AM +0200, Thilo Reichelt wrote:
> Hello.
> 
> At first I want to apologize for my comments, since I am lurker on this list, 
> with exception of some very few side remarks. But in my opinion the project of 
> Juergen Goeritz could be important to the f-cpu project. I am afraid that a 
> chance for funding might be given away without looking for a good solution which 
> could make evrybody happy. 
> 
> The situation as I see it, is as follows:
> Juergen Goeritz seems to be prepared to base a major development effort on the 
> f-cpu, which is not even completely defined yet (see discussion on "Dark and 
> dusty corners"). He is prepared to throw major resources at the f-cpu project. 
> He wants to protect his own development effort.
> The key persons are not willing to switch to LGPL just for Juergen Goeritz.

All Juergen said was that he will *try* to get some funding -- for
*his* project, I suppose.  Original text (quoted from Yann's mail):

	Do I have the agreement with the f-cpu team to use the
	f-cpu in my design and try to go for funding from germany
	and/or EU? If yes, do you have a short summary of f-cpu
	that can be used and included into the overall project
	summary? Basically I have to decide now whether to
	include the f-cpu into the application request for
	funding or not. Your okay is necessary to include it.

and later:

	Long story... To make it short some headlines only -
	new architecture for cluster computing - want to go for
	EU or german funding for this project - performant user
	processor still to be decided on (may be either a LEON
	extended to 64bit or F-CPU or other 64bit architecture
	that can be used for embedded) - system on chip design
	already specified - team to be built for realization -
	drawback: new architecture is not built as open source...

Note that he said nothing about his contributions to the F-CPU project,
except for some obscure remarks about members of the mCluster design
team being allowed to also work on the F-CPU, and founding an AG (with
F-CPU team members as shareholders?).  I'm still waiting for a clear,
precise statement what Juergen wants, and what he offers in return.
I have a vague idea about the former, but that's all.

On the other hand, it may be already too late.  I'm not willing to make
any deals with people I don't trust -- and I can't trust people who are
unable (or unwilling) to come to the point and say what they mean.

I believe that Juergen's commercial interests will collide with the
goals of the F-CPU project sooner or later, and that cooperating with his
mCluster project/company may (and will, due to Murphy's Law) take away
our freedom to design and develop the F-CPU the way we want.  It may
also result in a separate, incompatible branch of F-CPU development,
which is even worse -- in particular if that branch is not open-sourced.
In order to prevent that, I will say no to any license changes that drop
the special restrictions of the GPL wrt. distribution of derived works.

Basta.
-- 
 Michael "Tired" Riepe <Michael.Riepe@stud.uni-hannover.de>
 "All I wanna do is have a little fun before I die"
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