Re: [oc] Inquiry

[sdb@cloud9.net (Stuart Brorson)]

Hi --

> > > You have just proven one of the points I made earlier:  Commercial
> > > users avoid Opencores because you need to be a legal expert in order
> > > to understand how they may and may not be used.  Good work!
> > >
> > > To make a Opencores relevant to anybody other than hobbyists and
> > > small-time support firms, I suggest that an Opencores licence with no
> > > restrictions (and no liability) be developed.  Anything other than
> > > that will just scare the typical corporate designer away.
> >
> > Note that this does not solve anything. The real problems lie elsewhere=
> ,
> > e.g.: even if you say something is free, your employer could think
> > otherwise...

Ummmm, if you mean "free" as in "free beer", well, cost is not the only
variable considered by a corporation in choosing a core, open or not.
Indeed, it is probably not the most important variable.  More
important would be the ability to hack the source, as well as the
details of any licence restrictions.

If you mean "free" as in "freedom", then you are right.  Any Opencore
taken off the web needs to be unencumbered by any usage restricitons.
And I need to be able to convince my boss that it is unencumbered.
Otherwise, I won't bother to use it.  (Or I will use it, but not
tell anybody.)

[  . . . snip! . . . .]

> If OpenCores sees a role to play in this game, we need a license that is =
> clear=20
> and allows companies to use it. 

Yes.  Clear and simple and short.  I need to be able to say to my boss
"The licence works this way" in two or three sentences.  If I need to
give a legal exegesis (like the previous posting on the GPL), he will
throw me out of his office.

> This does NOT mean that companies can do=20
> whatever they want with the code, nor does it imply that companies do not=
> =20
> have to return improvements. That might be part of the license.

Well, then you have a non-starter, at least for corporate users.   The
licence cannot impose any conditions and cannot mandate that you
return improvements.  Sadly, many corporations are not interested in
returning their improvements, 'cause the improvements are their
value-added.  Of course, some corps *will* return improvements in
order to build goodwill, or as a loss-leader, or for whatever reason.
And bully for them!  But not all corporations will want to do return
improvements.  A licence which allows you to do whatever you want,
including returning improvements or not, is the only way to break into
corporations.  

If you impose restrictions, then Opencores will remain on the sidelines,
serving the hobbyist, grad student, and small-consultant market.
And that's the current market position -- i.e. problem -- with Opencores.

[. . . . snip . . . .]

Stuart

> Richard
> 
> > Marko
--
To unsubscribe from cores mailing list please visit http://www.opencores.org/mailinglists.shtml