On Sun, 2014-01-12 at 15:09 +0100, Martin Strubel wrote: > Let me just think loud and reuse Brians UART scenario using a VHPI > interface. A testbench for free download could have these modules: > > 1) UART design (proprietary) in VHDL > 2) VHPI-Extensions to provide virtual serial port (e.g. Unix pipe) > 3) Some optional DLL with VPI interface, doing something > > > So: (1) must comply with the GPL, no doubt. Third party non-GPL involved > -> XXX
> So, to protect my UART design, I can still go various ways: > - Make it non-reusable by obfuscation > - Keep critical parts outside of it, move working stuff into a > functional simulation in C > - Don't hand out the core design binary and just make it accessible > through a server/web interface, etc. > - Buy expensive tools that might not be half as effective as GHDL is. > > However, it would make things so much simpler, if the proprietary VHDL > design would not be infected by the GPL. Let me just say that in suggesting the example I was not in the least criticising Tristan's decision to make the runtime GPL, just positing a use case where a different approach could make (the UART seller's) life easier. There are precedents (the old Gnat Modified GPL) and GPL v3 runtime exception for protecting compilers, tools, but making an exception for the runtime, which would cover this case. Of course there is another alternative open to me, if I wanted to protect my UART ... I could negotiate to re-license ghdl from the copyright owner under some other license ... for some mutually agreeable consideration! - Brian _______________________________________________ Ghdl-discuss mailing list [email protected] https://mail.gna.org/listinfo/ghdl-discuss
