(Yet another) RTEMS License Question

[Joel Sherrill]

On 07/08/2011 09:19 AM, gds wrote:
> On 07/08/2011 09:40 AM, Joel Sherrill wrote:
>> On 07/07/2011 11:32 PM, Gene Smith wrote:
>>> I understand that any product sold or distributed containing an
>>> unmodified RTEMS release does not have to make available the source code
>>> of the application. This is clear from reading the license. However,
>>> what is not clear is if there is a requirement to inform the customer
>>> that RTEMS is present and make available on demand the unmodified RTEMS
>>> code used in the product?
>>>
>>> Assuming that the answer to the above question is that the unmodified
>>> RTEMS code tree doesn't have to be provided, what if creation of the
>>> RTEMS application also requires a new or modified BSP, libcpu or other
>>> change to internal GPL licensed RTEMS files that are not yet or never
>>> become a part of an official RTEMS release or tree? Does this possibly
>>> trigger a requirement to make available to customers this modified RTEMS
>>> tree used in the product?
>> No code in the RTEMS source tree (e.g. RTEMS CVS module)
>> is supposed to licensed in a way that would impose any
>> obligations or restrictions on an end user. No advertising,
>> offering source, relinking kit, etc.
>>
>> This also applies to newlib and the gcc language support
>> libraries shipped with the RPMs.
>>
>> This does NOT necessarily apply to code. For example,
>> if you used the RTEMS port of GNU readline or the GNU
>> Scientific Library then you would have to abide by the
>> GPL because of that.
> Joel,
> Thanks for the quick answer. By "code" above I think you are saying that linking
> in pure GPL (v2 or v3) such as the RTEMS add-on of GNU readline would make the
> whole package subject to GPL which is obviously true.
>
I should have said other packages or libraries instead of code.
So yes you are correct.


>> I hope that is clear.
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> -gene
>
>
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Joel Sherrill, Ph.D.             Director of Research&  Development
joel.sherrill at OARcorp.com        On-Line Applications Research
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