To: <microblaze-uclinux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 12:20 PM Subject: Re: [microblaze-uclinux] uclinux on spartan-3e starter kit
Hi Antti, Antti Lukats wrote:the rotary encoder driver in your design what is the license term for it? is going to be GPL or must it be purchased from PetaLogix?Thanks for asking - I should clarify that in the headers. The question of what the GPL means for IP is an interesting one, due to the concept of "linking" - if a core is GPL, does that mean that any SoC that you put it in, must similarly be licensed under the GPL? Or only the subsystem that's "linked" on the same bus, or...? In terms of the rotary encoder, I'd lean towards a dual-mode license of - free for student/academic/research/non-commercial/evaluation use, or - subject to negotiated agreement for commercial use What do you think? If you have some particular use in mind, let me know and we can discuss it. John
You are asking me to say what I think? I usually do. And too often some chaps flip over :( ok, jokes beside. The rotary encode IP (as the VHDL code) 1) GPL and most other licenses can not really be applied to hardware IP2) the "value" of the rotary encoder IP (the vhdl only) as separate "product" is rather small. I had in my deskdrawer a 8 channel rotary encoder IP for FSL bus connection, it was designed to be very small as it had to fit with the MicroBlaze SoC into Spartan 2-100 !, Finger Lakes has a OPB rotary encoder IP core that is COMPLETLY free, no strings attached. so when I looked a the headers of your rotary encoder ip and found ".... without prior written..." I was surprised.
for the rotary encoder IP, (to be sold as product) I would say drop the idea. too low value. I have sold IP core that was essentially an 2 input OR gate or 10USD. only to find out that the price was too low. eg it makes better profit for PetaLogix to license the IP Core free. belive me you would not get or happy trying to sell it.
but if the core is free and is supported by the drivers in PetaLinux then PetaLogix may have better chances to have more contract developemnt work. like maybe some customized version with microwindows support for the GUI in next generation helicopter cockpit. or something else.
I was actually asked 2 days ago if I know rotary knob solution for EDK, I said yes - and gave link to Finger Lakes.
Antti anybody flipped? ___________________________ microblaze-uclinux mailing list microblaze-uclinux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Project Home Page : http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/~jwilliams/mblaze-uclinux Mailing List Archive : http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/~listarch/microblaze-uclinux/