[U-Boot] SPDX-License-Identifier: adding a comment section?

[Roger Meier]

Hi Wolfgang

> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: Wolfgang Denk [mailto:wd at denx.de]
> Gesendet: Sonntag, 28. Juli 2013 17:40
> An: u-boot at lists.denx.de
> Cc: Roger Meier; Tom Rini; Albert ARIBAUD; Joe Hershberger
> Betreff: SPDX-License-Identifier: adding a comment section?
> I need some help / recommendations how we should handle non-trivial
> license issues.  For example, please have a look at the NE2000 network
> driver code:
> 
> 	drivers/net/ne2000.h
> 	drivers/net/ne2000.c
> 	drivers/net/ne2000_base.h
> 	drivers/net/ne2000_base.c
Is this still in use somewhere?

> 
> - First, these files include a statement that this code has been
>   derived from Linux kernel and from eCOS sources and that it's
>   released unter "GPL", but without stating wehter this means GPL-v2
>   or GPL-v2+ or whatever.
> 
> - Second, it includes the eCOS license header which basically says
>   it's GPLv2+ plus some additional rights.
> 
> - Third, if you track down the Linux source code mentioned above,
>   this again says only "GPL" without additional specification.
> 
> 
> Two questions arise:
> 
> - What should the resulting license(s) be in this specific case?
>   I tend to interpret plain "GPL" as "GPLv2+", so we could probably
>   summarize the license terms here as "eCos-2.0".
> 
>   What do you think?
Agree, makes sense.

> 
> - I feel it would be helpful for future investigations if we are able
>   to document our current understanding, so we don't have to
>   re-investigate all this again and again each time we run into these
>   files.  My proposal is to define an additional "magic string"
> 
>   	SPDX-License-Comments:
> 
>   which could be used to mark a text section that would contain such
>   explanations.
Good idea, document the current understanding is worth to do.
SPDX defines the property LicenseComments at file and package level.

> 
>   Wound this make sense, or do you have a better suggestion?
No better idea available...

-roger