Re: gEDA-user: More footprint stuff

[Florian Steiper <florian.steiper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Stuart

> > I do, however, have one question: Exactly how does the gpl play into the
> > use of elements/footprints in commerical designs? Would someone on this
> > list who is who has been there/done that, chime in?! =20
> >    
>
> IIRC, we've talked about this previously, and the consensus is that
> the gEDA Suite is GPL'ed, but there is no reason that non-GPL symbols
> can't be used with it.  Moreover, if you have proprietary symbols, I
> can't imagine that they would be "contaminated" by using them in a
> GPL'ed program.  I imagine the situation is similar to editing
> proprietary documents using OpenOffice, or creating proprietary
> designs using gEDA, or compiling proprietary programs using gcc.
>
> Of course, IANAL.
>
> Stuart
>  
I think the question is the other way around, what happens if you use 
GPL/ed footprints/components in an commerical design, Will somebody come 
along and say that you'll have to give the schematics/pcb files to the 
public becuase you used GPL'ed Symbols/Footprints to produce the board. 
Kind of like with a few manufacturers of Routers who used a linux based 
Firewall and were forced to release the source of their firmware, but I 
don't know if this would apply to using some footprints too.

Maybe it would be possible to get the footprints/symbols under a license 
similar to the one of the libc, which allows you to use it in commercial 
projects without having to release the source of your project.

ciao

      Florian