[U-Boot] Cellphones U-Boot and GPL

Wolfgang Denk wd at denx.de
Thu Oct 7 15:31:02 CEST 2010


Dear "Simone Navari",

In message <6B3EDE875CA549879D5F776404C05FDB at snavari01> you wrote:
> I've recently bought an Acer cellphone powerd by Android. For fun I
> looked inside the update files and checking the bootloader binary I've
> discovered that it is based on U-Boot v2009.01 (the string is clearly
> visible using an Hex Editor), so I disassembled the first part of
> file, comparing it with start.S in u-boot-1.1.6/cpu/arm926ejs (this is
> the core of microprocessor: an st-ericson u6715) and it only slightly
> different. Now my question: U-Boot is released under GPLv2 license; is
> Acer obliged to give source code if requested (paying the appropriate
> fee for the physical transfer) ?

Short and simple answer: yes, of course they are.

I suggest you ask them.  Please let me know if there should be any
problems, and I will try to help.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
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