Hi manili
Thanks for the reply.
You'r welcome :-)
Ok let’s start step by step:
- If I understood right, what you mean by “software” is/are A) whole
software stack (i.e drivers, compilers and etc.) and B) front-end (i.e. the RTL, synthesizing scripts and etc.). So these things are all under the license. As a result is it possible to modify these things and relicense them?
RTL isn't covered under the license. Can't be, because it's RTL, which is a technology specific implementation which can not be protected under a copyright anymore.
- So you are right, there is nothing about the back-end (i.e. transistors
layout). So if your team at HK try to create a libre, royalty-free layout scheme for NVDLA from scratch it will result in a legal issue for you?
That's the whole key issue. We can't legally build their IP cores with the LibreSilicon process and sell it within our products and then provide the GDS2 files and ALF layout files on GitHub
- Sorry I’m a little confused, the issue is about what currently “IS" in
the license file or about what currently "IS NOT” in the license file?
No reason to be confused. They could have take the MIT or Apache license (not the GPL because that would have tainted the issue with the unfree IP cores). Their IP cores are not Libre. In fact their silicon is unfree AF. Very simple. Their silicon is *not* Libre. The fact that they had to introduce a new license which doesn't collide with their unfree IP proofs it.
Cheers -lev