Hi,
I am currently working on an embedded software project. I like to release it under the GPL if it has left the early stage of implementation.
Is there a place to put embedded software including the hardware design?
The embedded software is normaly tightly coupled with underlaying hardware. Is it possible to put the hardware design (e.g. schematics) under GPL as well?
Thanks, Andreas
Am Freitag, dem 02. Jul 2004 schrieb Andreas:
The embedded software is normaly tightly coupled with underlaying hardware. Is it possible to put the hardware design (e.g. schematics) under GPL as well?
You could put the documentation under the GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) http://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl.html
On Fri, 2004-07-02 at 16:57, Andreas wrote:
The embedded software is normaly tightly coupled with underlaying hardware. Is it possible to put the hardware design (e.g. schematics) under GPL as well?
Afaik circuits layouts have specific protection. It's called "patent" but it is much like copyright. Need registration (dunno how much it may cost).
Simo.
Simo Sorce wrote:
Is it possible to put the hardware design (e.g. schematics) under GPL as well?
Afaik circuits layouts have specific protection. It's called "patent" but it is much like copyright.
This applies for the chip design and propably for the reference implementation of the manufacturer of the microprocessor.
This applies _not_ for the circuit design outside on top of the reference design. For a microcontroller based application not only the microcontroller is needed, but parts and componentes specific to the application as well.
Andreas
On Mon, 5 Jul 2004 11:07:03 +0200 (CEST) "Andreas" lists@myratz.de wrote:
Simo Sorce wrote:
Is it possible to put the hardware design (e.g. schematics) under GPL as well?
Afaik circuits layouts have specific protection. It's called "patent" but it is much like copyright.
This applies for the chip design and propably for the reference implementation of the manufacturer of the microprocessor.
This applies _not_ for the circuit design outside on top of the reference design. For a microcontroller based application not only the microcontroller is needed, but parts and componentes specific to the application as well.
I don't know about the rest of the EU but I do know that Belgium has a sui generis law for microchip designs that protects the specific topology of the design (eg, the physical implementation). At least I thought it was sui generis, might just be part of copyright law though.
greets, Wim
Hello.
I am currently working on an embedded software project. I like to release it under the GPL if it has left the early stage of implementation.
Great.
Is there a place to put embedded software including the hardware design?
Releasing under the GPL doesn't mean placing your work on servers managed by other people. I think you should consider publishing your work on your own servers. [sorry if this is reknown, I couldn't tell it from your message, and this is a typical misunderstanding]
But if you really want to refer to external hosting, I don't think there are sites specialized in collecting such projects; actually there aren't many such projects nowadays. You can still ask to host your project in the known software repositories, like savannah or any other such site. I think you have high changes of getting a favorable response.
The embedded software is normaly tightly coupled with underlaying hardware. Is it possible to put the hardware design (e.g. schematics) under GPL as well?
Yes. I've done that in the past too.
Actually, the main issue I see is that the GPL uses the word "Program" to refer to the work covered by the license; you may want to add a few lines in front of the canonical GPL text explaining that the work covered by the license, although called "Program" in the license includes other material (listing it).
You may also consider other license, and using different licensing for different types of work, as other suggested, but the GPL may well be a good choice for the whole of the project, as you suggest.
Hope this helps /alessandro
Hello,
Alessandro Rubini wrote:
Is there a place to put embedded software including the hardware design?
Releasing under the GPL doesn't mean placing your work on servers managed by other people. I think you should consider publishing your work on your own servers. [sorry if this is reknown, I couldn't tell it from your message, and this is a typical misunderstanding]
To be more precise: I know that I place it on my local server but I`d like to know if there is a place to announce it. So far I did not find a matching group.
The embedded software is normaly tightly coupled with underlaying hardware. Is it possible to put the hardware design (e.g. schematics) under GPL as well?
Yes. I've done that in the past too.
Actually, the main issue I see is that the GPL uses the word "Program" to refer to the work covered by the license; you may want to add a few lines in front of the canonical GPL text explaining that the work covered by the license, although called "Program" in the license includes other material (listing it).
Good idea, thanks.
Andreas
Hello.
To be more precise: I know that I place it on my local server but I`d like to know if there is a place to announce it. So far I did not find a matching group.
If the project runs on ARM and uses a Linux kernel, you should announce it on linux-arm-kernel; same for other platforms. People working with kernel is usually the same people working on the hardware, or at least they are pretty near. I do not know a matching group, either, though I didn't searched for it, but I think the relevant kernel list is a good place to go. Well, if it's a gnu/linux machine. You might want to look at what the LART group did, probably google will find where they announced their project.
hope this helps
best /alessandro