[U-Boot] Using U-Boot in a mixed licensed environment

[Wolfgang Denk]

Dear Stephen Baker,

In message <CAChidSLWXW=oo0GCyjohGDNRXrsvK9q8bNV2B8kSHnxRMxc5iQ at mail.gmail.com> you wrote:
> 
> Option 1:
> Expand the jump table to include IO functions for networking and
> flash/drive access.  Would expanding the jump table functionality mean
> that the COPYING statement be invalid since the jump table support has
> expand beyond the original scope and thus fall under GPL v2?

The jump table is restricted on purpose.  If you extend it, your
standalone code will have to be released under GPL.

> Option 2:
> Use the api interface (api_public.h) with my application linked into
> U-Boot.  The api_public.h terms are BSD or GPL v2, by using BSD
> license it removes the GPL v2 from this header file and interface.
> However since the COPYING file does not list the API interface as an
> exemption; not falling under the heading of a derived work.  I suspect
> that using the API interface and linking the standalone code with
> U-Boot would cause all of the code to fall under GPL v2.  Is this a
> correct assumption?

IIUC the intention of the API was to allow for closed source
implementations, but I am not a lawyer and I don't know if this
actually works this way.  You probably should get legal advice on
that.

> Option 3:
> Have U-Boot read the application image from flash into memory then
> jump to the code.  This would follow the same logic as boot linux or
> any other image.  Just load and jump into the new code.  The
> application would not leverage any U-Boot code.  The Network and Flash
> support would have to be added to the application using BSD or other
> non-GPL code.  This seems to be the best way to avoid the GPL v2
> issue; unless one of the other options proves valid.

This is indeed a possible approach.

But you forget option 4: just release your code under GPL.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

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