The attached Licnese is the OpenIP Hardware public license. The license
covers OpenHardware designes a la GPL.
You are welcome to use the draft version and to to send us your comments
Another License a la LGPL will be published soon
You can send all your comments to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
You can also visit our site at
http://www.openip.org
Thanks for your comments
OpenIP General Hardware Public License
Draft Version 0.15-111099 October 1999
Copyright (C) 1999 OpenIP Organization.
Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document,
but changing it is not allowed.
OpenIP/OpenCore License terms.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR COPYING, DISTRIBUTION, MODIFICATION AND IMPLEMENTATIONS
1. This license applies to hardware designs including the design ideas, architectures,
microcode instructions source and supporting files (e.g. schematics, net-lists, HDLs,
PCB layouts, chip & silicon cells layouts, Timing diagrams, truth tables, flow charts,
state diagrams, block diagrams, Documentations, software drivers etc...) Or any other
work which contains a notice placed by the copyright holder saying it may be
distributed under the terms of this General Hardware Public License. The "Hardware
Design", below refers to any such work.
Activities other than copying, distribution, modification and implementations are not
covered by this License ; they are outside its scope. The act of operating the design
is not restricted, and the output of it is covered only if its contents constitute a
work based on the original work.
2. You may copy, publish, distribute or/and implement this Hardware Design or any
portion of it as is. Any time you copy or distribute this design you have to provide
all of the source files and documentations that came with the work.
3. Any modifications of this hardware design or any derivative work from it should be
documented and protected by the same license.
The term Derivative work means any changes, improvements or porting the original work
to other environments or platforms (To be described later on). This may vary depending
on the type of the hardware design itself.
4. There are three types of derivative works.
a. The first one is to modify the original design files ( e.g. schematics, HDLs,
Architectures, chip or PCB Layouts) and get some new improvements or features.
b. Porting the source files into different EDA or system environments. This
includes porting HDLs to different simulators, synthesis tools or target hardware.
Redrawing Schematics on different tools. Changing the format of the design among any
of the following formats: HDLs, schematics, Chip or PCB layout, net-list extraction.
Porting the design to different board chip or packaging technologies.
c. In case the design introduces a new Hardware Design ideas, algorithm or
architectures, or even if it is itself one of those, any physical implementation or by
schematics, HDLs, layouts, net-lists or any other form that describes the design
except the ordinal is considered as a derived work.
4. Works based on the hardware design should be protected also by the same license.
Based work can be one or all of the followings:
Using the whole or part of the design as is and put (integrate) it in a new system or
new platform. That includes plugging the HDL code, schematic, PCB or chip layout to a
chip, board, new set of schematics or even any form of description a design
(documents, block diagram, flow charts, state diagrams tables).
5. No one can sell the Hardware Design itself, its derivatives or any work based on
it. Physical implementation of the Hardware design can be sold only if all design
source files that came with the original work and documentation made available for the
user.
6. You are not required to accept this License, since you have not signed it.
However, nothing else grants you permission to modify or distribute the hardware
design or its derivative works. These actions are prohibited by law if you do not
accept this License. Therefore, by modifying, distributing or implementing the
hardware design (or any work based on the design), you indicate your acceptance of
this License to do so, and all its terms and conditions for copying, distributing or
modifying the hardware design or works based on it.
7. NO WARRANTY of any kind is provided on the functionality, performance or risks
cased by using this Hardware Design.
NO WARRANTY
7.a. BECAUSE THE HARDWARE DESIGN IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY
FOR IT, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN
WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE HARDWARE DESIGN
IMPLEMENTATION "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE
HARDWARE DESIGN IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE DESIGN PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST
OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
7.b. IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL ANY
COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE THE HARDWARE
DESIGN AS PERMITTED ABOVE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL,
SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO
USE THE HARDWARE DESIGN (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING
RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR OR THIRD PARTIES OR OR ANY OTHER
KIND OF LOSSES OR A FAILURE OF THE HARDWARE DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION TO OPERATE WITH ANY
OTHER SYSTEMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY
OF SUCH DAMAGES.
