Re: Is SystemC license compatible with the GPL ?
Matthieu Moy <Matthieu.Moy@imag.fr> wrote:
> [ I know this is out topic here, but I've already sent this mail twice
> to gnu@gnu.org, twice to the discussion list of the fsfeurope,
> another time to the SystemC mailing list, and didn't get a single
> answer :-( ]
I'm not surprised. Whoever wrote the license must have been paid by
the word. In any case, to answer the subject line of this email, the
SystemC license is not compatible. The one part I found that is
definitely a problem is 2.6b:
Recipient shall assist OSCI to the extent reasonably necessary to
protect and maintain the Marks worldwide, including, but not limited
to, giving prompt notice to OSCI of any known or potential
infringement of the Marks, and cooperating with OSCI in preparing
and executing any documents necessary to register the Marks, or as
may be required by the laws or rules of any country or
jurisdiction.
So if you get a copy of the software, you are suddenly part of their
trademark police.
There may be other problems, but this one is pretty clear.
> Hi,
>
> I've developped a piece of software using GCC as a C++ front-end and
> the SystemC library.
>
> The SystemC license can be found from www.systemc.org (And I've
> temporarily put a copy here:
> http://www-verimag.imag.fr/~moy/vrac/License.pdf )
>
> I would like to know wether it is legal to distribute this software and wether
> it is possible to do so under a free license.
>
>
> The architecture of the software is as follow :
>
>
> +------------+ +-------------+ +-------------+
> | | | | | |
> | A | | B | | C |
> | | | | | |
> | SystemC |<--1-->| My software |<--2-->| GCC |
> | | | | | |
> +------------+ +-------------+ +-------------+
>
> Where <--n--> can be either a static or a dynamic link.
>
> I would like to use as permissive licenses as possible. Ideally, I
> would like the following :
>
> A = SystemC license
> B = LGPL
> C = GPL
>
> Is this possible ?
> (From what I understood, I can distribute A+B and let the user download C and
> compile A+B+C himself)
So you are only distributing source? AIUI, that is acceptable.
You'll have problems if you distribute binaries.
Regards,
Walter Landry
wlandry@ucsd.edu
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