Thank you for the quick reply, I have entered comments and answers in line below
>> >> I am interested to perform some of the functions available from >> command line calls however called from a standalone application. >> An example would be fatload mmc ..... > >Why would you want to do that? Why not just compile your code as part >of U-Boot? Unfortunately this is not an option for me as i am creating a solution for video processing which has IP that relates only to this solution. I am very happy to contribute back to u-boot for any u-boot related functions however want to retain IP for my specific product solution. > >> Im also interested in if there was a concious decision to exclude >> these function calls from standalone applications IE if i am and >> always will need to write my own code for these functions. > >Yes, this is an intentional decision. Standalone applications allow >you to run any proprietary code you may have, with sufficient glue to >allow for an easy start. So for example if you have your own home >brew OS or a simple task scheduler or such, you can run it, and even >keep it closed source. The price for keeping your code proprietary is >a lean, somewhat restrictive interface. > >When you want to actually benefit from all estimated 345 years of >effort that went into the development of U-Boot (according to [1]), >say by using the device drivers, file system code or scripting >capabilitiers that come with U-Boot, then you can do so in the context >of the GPL license which covers all that code. > >Trying to get all the benefits for free, and not contributing anything >bac, is something that in my point of view is unethical, which is why >we do not support it. > >[1] http://www.ohloh.net/p/u-boot > >> I have been attempting to role my own MMC driver for more than 4 weeks >> now on a processor that has very poor datasheet so i would be very >> grateful if i was able to use the functionality available in command >> line calls from within a standalone program. > >You see, this is exactly what I mean: using things like the file >system or driver code in a non-GPL standalone application is exactly >the type of usage we want to prevent. > >If you want to benefit from all the work that the community is >offeriung for free, then you are welcome to use it, but please do so >in the context of the GPL license so that you not only take from the >community, but also give back - no matter how small or big such >contribution might be. This approach is understandable, thank you for explaining the reasoning. It appears that for my solution i will need to write my own drivers or use an operating system which does not impose GPL in this way. Regards, Scott On Sat, Jun 14, 2014 at 10:08 PM, Wolfgang Denk <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Scott Anderson, > > In message > <CAFrkK5u5cFhP=66mz8z8v_jfgaqap2tae4dk8gbowpkxhgc...@mail.gmail.com> you > wrote: >> >> I am interested to perform some of the functions available from >> command line calls however called from a standalone application. >> An example would be fatload mmc ..... > > Why would you want to do that? Why not just compile your code as part > of U-Boot? > >> Im also interested in if there was a concious decision to exclude >> these function calls from standalone applications IE if i am and >> always will need to write my own code for these functions. > > Yes, this is an intentional decision. Standalone applications allow > you to run any proprietary code you may have, with sufficient glue to > allow for an easy start. So for example if you have your own home > brew OS or a simple task scheduler or such, you can run it, and even > keep it closed source. The price for keeping your code proprietary is > a lean, somewhat restrictive interface. > > When you want to actually benefit from all estimated 345 years of > effort that went into the development of U-Boot (according to [1]), > say by using the device drivers, file system code or scripting > capabilitiers that come with U-Boot, then you can do so in the context > of the GPL license which covers all that code. > > Trying to get all the benefits for free, and not contributing anything > bac, is something that in my point of view is unethical, which is why > we do not support it. > > [1] http://www.ohloh.net/p/u-boot > >> I have been attempting to role my own MMC driver for more than 4 weeks >> now on a processor that has very poor datasheet so i would be very >> grateful if i was able to use the functionality available in command >> line calls from within a standalone program. > > You see, this is exactly what I mean: using things like the file > system or driver code in a non-GPL standalone application is exactly > the type of usage we want to prevent. > > If you want to benefit from all the work that the community is > offeriung for free, then you are welcome to use it, but please do so > in the context of the GPL license so that you not only take from the > community, but also give back - no matter how small or big such > contribution might be. > > Best regards, > > Wolfgang Denk > > -- > DENX Software Engineering GmbH, MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel > HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany > Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: [email protected] > Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of > Congress. But I repeat myself. - Mark Twain _______________________________________________ U-Boot mailing list [email protected] http://lists.denx.de/mailman/listinfo/u-boot
