Re: [oc] Inquiry

[Marko Mlinar <markom@opencores.org>]

Hi!

> I also never indicated that the source code author can not use GPL. It is
> ones freedom, and my freedom to turn my back on excellent work.
>
> I have only made a recommendation, that if OC wants to reach further into
> corporations, the community will probably need to drop GPL. My strongest
> suggestion is that there is multiple licenses available for all target
> audiences, incl. GPL and "paid for" licenses.
Exactly. In past discussions and (arguing ;)) I think you were all to some 
extent correct.

Niclas, I think you are completely right about marketing issues of GPL. 
Company needs an added value. However there are applications, which are very 
general, and basically every company has it, e.g. operating system, compiler, 
uart,... So in these cases it is very smart for companies to join 
development. There are also some cases, where companies have to offer certain 
products because the market demands so, but they want to reduce costs, etc.
Some special applications are added-value; I think that is the reason the 
bigger companies tend to have less open-sourced.
Startup and smaller companies do not have so much added value so they can 
catch up with GPL.

If I summarize:
We need multiple licenses:
1. GPL like - for complete systems (maybe it is too soon -- OC does not have 
enough added value, or even not practical for HW) -- system has to be 
revealed
2. LGPL like - for individual cores, for which system does have to be 
revealed, but just changes/improvements to the core
3. like 2., but all testbenches/verifications have to be reported
4. commercial - proprietary conditions based on special contract with authors 
(with revenues); authors can also choose to work through a company, 
integrating/supporting opencores cores

Maybe 3. should be the preffered one?

I think that any existing licence we choose, will have to be modified to HW 
needs.

Furthermore we will need a central repository (probably a legal entity, like 
FSF) of (hand) signed contracts with developers and this central repository.
All cores with these signed contracts will have special icon. So when a 
company comes, it can select cores and make a request for copies of signed 
contracts.

The contract will have to be similar to (L)GPL like, requiring standard stuff, 
e.g: you worked on this, employer does not mind, you did not copy it from 
anywhere, etc...

I am quite confident that the above thinking is correct, so it is just a 
question who will do it ;)

best regards,
Marko


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