[ECOS] Re: eCos Licensing

[Grant Edwards <grante at visi dot com>]

On 2009-01-24, Himanshu Patel <himanshup@aftek.com> wrote:

> I have gone through the eCos licensing on following page:
> http://ecos.sourceware.org/license-overview.html

Really?

> However I am slightly confused...If I develop an application
> and link the same with eCos kernel (Ttarget.ld), then also I
> need to release the application to community?

No.  The eCos license contains an explicit exception that says
you don't have to do that.  It's the text quoted in an indented
block in a fixed-width font at the top of the page you
referenced:

   As a special exception, if other files instantiate templates
   or use macros or inline functions from this file, or you
   compile this file and link it with other works to produce a
   work based on this file, this file does not by itself cause
   the resulting work to be covered by the GNU General Public
   License. However the source code for this file must still be
   made available in accordance with section (3) of the GNU
   General Public License.

> The GPL will apply to application developed based on kernel
> also.

No.  Again, quoting from the page you linked to:

  Q. Do I have to distribute the source code to my application?
     Isn't the GPL "viral"?

  A. You do not have to distribute any code under the terms of
     the GPL other than eCos code or code derived from eCos. [...]

> Also can I used header files of eCos in the application? 

Yes.

-- 
Grant



-- 
Before posting, please read the FAQ: http://ecos.sourceware.org/fom/ecos
and search the list archive: http://ecos.sourceware.org/ml/ecos-discuss