[U-Boot-Users] Proposal for a make option to include an additional stand alone program directory

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <4631093C.7060002 at freescale.com> you wrote:
>
> But even if the application were non-GPL, how would running it be a GPL violation?  If I 
> load the application into memory, and just execute it, and the application runs without 
> calling U-Boot code, and then the application exits, that's not a GPL violation.

You agree that static linking against a non-GPL library is illegal?

What does static linking against a NON-GPL library mean? You combine the
U-Boot image and the library image in some way, or
load the library image into memory,
	then you call a function from that library,
		and just execute it, and that library function runs without
calling U-Boot code, and then the library function returns, that's ...
...a GPL violation.

Agreed? Then compare my text against your text a few lines above, and
tell me the difference.


Running an application and calling a function is two  very  different
things:  U-Boot works perfectly fine without this application, and is
just a helper to be able to load and atart and run it. But  a  binary
firmware,  which  is  needed  for  U-Boot to function properly, where
U-Boot does not work correctly or with the full functionality if  the
firmware is not present, is a different thing.

BTW: this is just my view, and IANAL...

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

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