Hi Tiago, Linux Foundation and the Apache Foundation have different mindsets (philosophies).
One is about money; the other is about ideology. These are part of the three things that move people: money, ideology, or ego. So, LF doesn't care too much about ideology, they care about money and always take advantage of it (each project becomes a paying foundation for them). Please review the documentation regarding which licenses are allowed under the Apache Foundation. An external vendor should not agree to give away their IP or sign a SGA. Also, the Apache License is not interesting for some start-ups because if you hold a patent and use Apache-licensed software you cannot issue that patent against other companies using that software. In this case a HAL under the Apache License is a blocker for them. BR, Alan On Thu, Oct 1, 2026 at 12:43 PM Tiago Medicci Serrano < [email protected]> wrote: > Hi All, just a few pinpoints: > > Felipe just mentioned: > > "Keeping them outside of Apache, I know that Espressif agrees" > > > Actually, we prefer keeping it under ASF, at ` > github.com/apache/nuttx-hal-espressif` > <http://github.com/apache/nuttx-hal-espressif>. The license is already > Apache 2.0. > > Binh's last message stated: > > Yes, Renesas supports keeping HAL Renesas outside the ASF. > > It is similar to the model already supported for HAL Renesas in Zephyr, > > with shared contribution and maintenance between the community and > Renesas > > code owners. > > > There seems to be a misunderstanding about under ASF or not. It doesn't > mean transferring the ownership. Actually, *Zephyr's HALs are under > Zephyr's umbrella*. This is true for Espressif ( > https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/hal_espressif/) and seems to be true > for Renesas as well (https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/hal_renesas/). > Both are under `github.com/zephyrproject-rtos` > <http://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos> (equivalently, Zephyr's > umbrella, just like any other external modules). > > Just for the sake of comparison, they have clear rules about it: > https://docs.zephyrproject.org/latest/contribute/external.html > > An OSI-compliant license is a prerequisite (so that it'd be the same for ` > github.com/apache/nuttx-hal-<vendor>`). The goals, requirements, and > processes aren't that different from Zephyr's in this case. > > Best regards, > > > Em qua., 30 de set. de 2026 às 22:29, Binh Nguyen < > [email protected]> escreveu: > > > Hi all, > > > > Yes, Renesas supports keeping HAL Renesas outside the ASF. > > It is similar to the model already supported for HAL Renesas in Zephyr, > > with shared contribution and maintenance between the community and > Renesas > > code owners. > > > > Best Regards, > > Binh Nguyen > > > > > From: Felipe Moura Oliveira <[email protected]> > > > Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2026 2:24 AM > > > To: [email protected] > > > Subject: Re: Proposal: host vendor HAL repositories under > > github.com/NuttX > > > > > > Hi all, > > > > > > Keeping them outside of Apache, I know that Espressif agrees, and I > > believe Renesas and GigaDevice would as well. > > > I can contact Holtek too and present this approach to them and try to > > get support from them. > > > > > > Could the folks from Renesas and GigaDevice please confirm this? > > > > > > If so, we would already have a good starting point for this approach. > > > > > > Best regards, > > > > > > > > > *--Felipe Moura de Oliveira* > > > Linkedin <https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-oliveira-75a651a0> > > > > > > On Wed, 30 Sep 2026 at 15:48 Alan C. Assis <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > I think Apache has many restrictions on what can be kept inside it. > > > > > > > > Also without the right information we cannot make a decision. For > > > > instance, if IP donation and SGA are requirements, keeping the HAL > > > > inside Apache is a blocker. > > > > > > > > For Espressif it is fine, because their license is already Apache and > > > > they have already signed the SGA in the past. > > > > > > > > However, we need to consider how we will handle vendors who cannot > > > > comply for some reason. > > > > > > > > BR, > > > > > > > > Alan > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 3:02 PM Gregory Nutt <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > +1 for Alin idea to have HAL under Apache license and umbrella in > > > > > +order > > > > to > > > > > keep coherent and secure SBOM.. > > > > > > > > > > I believe this would require an IP Clearance and possibly an SGA. > > > > > > > > > > "IP > > > > > clearance<https://incubator.apache.org/ip-clearance/index.html> is > > used to import code bases from outside Apache for future development > > > > > here." https://www.apache.org/legal/resolved.html#category-x > > > > > > > > > > The above statement seems to exactly describe the in-tree HAL case. > > > > > Basically, the ASF will not accept the legal liabilities of simply > > > > > taking some one else's code and hosting it in a project repository > > > > > with no legal licensing documentation, especially if it is a > > > > > substantial body of code that will be incorporated into the ASF > > project. > > > > > > > > > > IP clearance details: > > > > > https://in/ > > > > > cubator.apache.org > %2Fip-clearance%2Findex.html&data=05%7C02%7Cbinh.n > > > > > guyen.xw%40renesas.com > %7C62ced57e55444f955c3508df1f28b5c4%7C53d82571 > > > > > > da1947e49cb4625a166a4a2a%7C0%7C0%7C639263931847902603%7CUnknown%7CTW > > > > > > FpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMi > > > > > > IsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=XLXJ8KSIFNRpkL > > > > > 6OZiyBJoC7IOB02Yq8LkZ9ZAhGPvQ%3D&reserved=0 > > > > > > > > > > Alin is the expert on IP clearance and went through all of this in > > > > > the past. > > > > > > > > > > Using an external library in the link does not cause these problems > > > > > in my understanding. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
