[U-Boot] u-boot-v2 and GPL license version?

[Jerry Van Baren]

Detlev Zundel wrote:
> Hi Jerry,
> 
>> Kumar Gala wrote:
>>> Sascha,
>>>
>>> You seem to be the person acting as maintainer of u-boot-v2.  Do you  
>>> have any input if u-boot-v2 would stay with GPLv2 or move to GPLv3?
>>>
>>> - k
>> U-Boot v2 is the usage case I had in mind in my question:
>>> Would U-Boot be willing to have as much GPLv2++ (GPLv3) as possible, and 
>>> supporting a run time plug-in system to accommodate GPLv2-only modules? 
>> <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.boot-loaders.u-boot/61801/focus=62886>
>>
>> RMS' opinion was that this approach could be taken WRT GPLv3 of the 
>> U-Boot core and allow GPLv2 plug-ins, preferably via an explicit 
>> exception.  He was also OK with the concept from an ethical point of view.
>> <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.boot-loaders.u-boot/61801/focus=62920>
> 
> Don't forget that RMS also noted that this case also needs the exception
> on the GPLv2 only code to be used in conjunction with GPLv3.

Oops, I /had/ forgotten that.  That puts a pretty big pothole in that 
road.  :-/

Best case, we would still have to contact all the authors of GPLv2 
drivers and convince them to change their copyright licensing.  Worst 
case, some wouldn't agree to the license change and we would have to 
rewrite their code, resulting in no net gain.

> Cheers
>   Detlev

Thanks,
gvb