Re: gEDA-user: firmware and the GPL license

[John Griessen <john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

al davis wrote:
> If they are packaged separately, so a user can choose either 
> part, without the other.


> 
> Suppose I want to distribute a "system" composed of 
> two "modules"  ..  "A" and "B".    "A" is GPL.  "B" is 
> proprietary.  It doesn't work.  However, I can sell you "A" 
> and "B" separately and let you plug them together.

DJ Delorie wrote:
 > A suitable API would be something that *is* intended to allow for
 > arbitrary expansion, or if there are GPL equivalents for both sides,
 > such as the Linux syscall ABI or GIMP plugins, or if the API follows
 > some previously published API, such as an i2c bus.

Thanks.  That makes me think my ideas of having a low power
functioning power supply need to be very generic.  No sharing
of similar tasks just because the GPL-based processor is idle for a while.

The power module will sell separately, and have a signal over SPI or I2C that tells
the GPL-based system what power conservation mode we are in,
signals can generate interrupts, GPL-based system time is available as a generic input to the
power supply program, including GPL-based system "awake time slots".
The combination of modules may use interdependent
communication between control code, but each module just switches to
a less optimized, still functional mode when the communication is gone,
(when they are used separately).

Another kind of proprietary machine I am thinking of combining with a GPL-based system
is a DSP where a datastream in results in a datastream out.  That separates based on the reasoning
they are physically serparated for sale, and customer does hookup, any generic processor
can supply the input datastream, which flows over a prepublished bus or writing data DMA-style
to one memory location decoded address, and data length to another  decoded address.

See any snags?

Hmmm... now I see why the open hardware/software projects I am involved with,
TinyOS and ConTiki, use BSD style licensing...

John Griessen
-- 
Ecosensory   Austin TX
tinyOS devel on:  ubuntu Linux;   tinyOS v2.0.2;   telosb ecosens1


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