Santiago Garcia Mantinan <manty@debian.org> writes:
> Plex86 is an Open Source x86 PC virtualization program which let's you
> concurrently run multiple x86 operating systems and corresponding
> software on your x86 machine. It is distributed under the GNU LGPL
> license.
>
> They haven't done any realease yet, but cvs compiles clean and runs quite
> well also, well, don't expect it to run too much, I mean, on my P200MMX it
> kind of walks ;-)
>
> I really Intended to Package it, if nobody has already ITP it, but looking
I'm packaging bochs and have the same problem. What to do with the
bios. I intend to package plex some time as well and probably merge
sources since they do/can share a lot.
> at the license of the VGA BIOS it uses, seems It cannot go in main, and I
> doubt it can go on non-fre either, the license file that comes with that
> BIOS says:
>
> The VGA BIOS from Elpin Systems, Inc. (http://www.elpin.com/)
> is now permanently licensed for use with plex86, courtesy
> of MandrakeSoft, creators of the leading "Linux-Mandrake"
> distribution (http://www.linux-mandrake.com/). You may
> freely use/distribute it with plex86, as long as it is used
> in plex86 for the intended use as a VGA BIOS.
>
> Well, I'd really like to know about other opinions about this license :-)
My intention is to get Elphin Systems to release the binary of the
bios under a DFSG-free license. Think of the binary as a png image and
not as an executable and everything is fine.
The second option would be to get FreeBios or some other dfsg-free
bios to work with bochs/plex.
Third (and probably what I will do) I write a graphics card with
FB-driver for bochs and plex. That should be a matter of minutes for
16/24/32 bit displays to have working code. The drawback would be that
it could only run linux then.
Fourth would be to not use a VGA Bios at all and work headless, wich
isn't realy an option.
A seperate package for the bios is a must in my eyes. It works with
dos/windows/minix/linux so it should be available. Any replacement
would probably not be perfect at start.
May the Source be with you.
Goswin
PS: My bochs package is ready for upload, apart from the legal stuff
with the bios, which i would like to resolve one way or another before
an initial upload.