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

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <463112C4.50603 at freescale.com> you wrote:
>
> > You agree that static linking against a non-GPL library is illegal?
> 
> Yes, but just merging two binaries into a new binary isn't "linking", IMHO.  For there to 
> be linking, project A must include parts of project B.  Just having A make a function call 
> to B is not linking, otherwise proprietary applications would never be able to make 
> syscalls into the kernel.

Merging two binaries into one, so that A can make function calls into
B *is* linking if the function of A depends on  the  results  of  the
function calls of B.

Linux system calls is an explicitely exported interface so it  is  OK
to use this from application code.

> > 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.
> 
> Well, I'm not lawyer, and so I don't really know for sure, but I would disagree.  After 
> all, calling the library function is nothing more than loading a number into the PC 
> register.  I don't really see how that alone can be considered linking.

Please do yourself a favour and re-read the GPL.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

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