Re: [ECOS] Licensing of OpenSource code and eCos

[NavEcos <ecos at navosha dot com>]

On Tuesday 01 October 2002 04:09 pm, Fabrice Gautier wrote:
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Doug Fraser [mailto:dfraser@photuris.com]
> > Cc: eCos-discuss
> > Subject: RE: [ECOS] Licensing of OpenSource code and eCos
> >
> > [...]
> > The eCos license is not a pure GPL, it is a modified GPL,
> > so that you may in fact ship proprietary software bundled
> > with eCos.
>
> The problem i see is that this modification to the GPL is so fundamental,
> that the new license is closer to a BSD or MPL license than an GPL license
> (imo).
>
> I guess it would have been simpler if eCos was dual licensed: one license
> that allow for proprietary products, the other being the GPL.
>
> Then you just have to choose which one you use, and not mix proprietary
> stuff with GPL stuff.
>
> But hey... what do i know...

If you include GPL code into eCos, all that is required is that you
then make all the other code included available.  So essentially, you
can release it under a dual license for all practical purposes.

So, if you decided to use a GPLed driver with eCos, you'd have to
make eCos available (done), the drive available, and all your
application code available.

Correct me if I'm wrong of course.

What is at issue here is that a lot less people would use eCos if
it was completely GPLed.  None of the companies I have worked for
would be willing to GPL a stack that cost them a million dollars and
6 man years to make.

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