[time-nuts] TAPR Open HArdware License -- Public Comment Period

[Magnus Danielson]

From: John Ackermann N8UR <jra at febo.com>
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] TAPR Open HArdware License -- Public Comment Period
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 12:11:58 -0500
Message-ID: <45D09FDE.4000509 at febo.com>

> Thanks for that pointer, Dave; I ran across that link early on. 
> Unfortunately, that project appears never to have gone anywhere.  Note 
> that the page was last updated in 2000!
> 
> I also looked at the Freedom CPU license referenced there.  It appears 
> to have been dead since 2000 as well.  It appears to focus mainly on 
> semiconductor design, which raises a bunch of different issues (much 
> more like software and copyright) than traditional hardware.  And, 
> unfortunately, the published draft is more discussion points than actual 
> license wording.  (There may very well be a good reason to develop a 
> license for VHDL and similar hardware description works since they don't 
> totally fit into the software license model, but that's not what the OHL 
> tried to do.)

Some projects have chosen to use the BSD license (or actually, BSD V2 license,
without the advertisement clause) since neither GPL or LGPL matches firmware
very well. I think BSD like in general is a good startingground when
attempting non-software license issues (we have enought licensees on software
to help confusing the hell out of things).

One might have a look at the artistic license too.

I'll have a more detailed look. I'm not claiming to be a walk'n-n-talk'n expert
on various forms of licenses.

Cheers,
Magnus