[OpenOCD-devel] Possible GPL violation

[Горелов Валентин Владимирович]

Hello.
I'm a user of the Microsemi SoftConsole IDE (https://www.microsemi.com/products/fpga-soc/design-resources/design-software/softconsole)
The distribution of this IDE (the Windows installer) includes a modified version of OpenOCD which supports the Microsemi proprietary FlashPro programmer.
But the source codes of OpenOCD are not included in the distribution. Moreover, Microsemi rejects to send them on request.
I'd sent a message to their support:
"
Hello. I'm a user of your SoftConsole IDE. It comes with a modified version of OpenOCD which supports FlashPRO programmer. But the distribution (the Windows installer) doesn't seem to contain the sources. Tell me please how I can get them.
"
And the answer was:
"
Hi Valentin, I regret to inform you that we would not be able to share the source code for the Soft Console with you. Thanks for contacting Microsemi.
"

I have had a problem with their version of OpenOCD (it fails to shut down while working with Eclipse, not SoftConsole) and I'm willing to investigate. But I can't do it without the sources.

Sorry for bad English,
Valentin Gorelov.

[Márton Miklós]

Hello Valentin,

I think your support contact have not understood exactly what you have
requested (OpenOCD sources != Soft Console sources).

I would reply them with something similar:

"I am only interested in the source code of the modified OpenOCD component.
This tool is open source, licensed under the terms of the GPL v2 license.
See here: https://sourceforge.net/p/openocd/code/ci/master/tree/COPYING *
Please share the modified source codes with me as it is required by this
license. "

--- Note: if they bounded the License to the SoftConsole somewhere it might
be better to point them to the installation file C:/Program
Files/whatever/COPYING ---

Usually getting the source from these kind of vendors is problematic, but
if you are persistent enough you should succeed.

Üdvözlettel,
Márton Miklós
[phone]

Post by Горелов Валентин Владимирович
Hello.
I’m a user of the Microsemi SoftConsole IDE (https://www.microsemi.com/
products/fpga-soc/design-resources/design-software/softconsole)
The distribution of this IDE (the Windows installer) includes a modified
version of OpenOCD which supports the Microsemi proprietary FlashPro
programmer.
But the source codes of OpenOCD are not included in the distribution.
Moreover, Microsemi rejects to send them on request.
“
*Hello. I’m a user of your SoftConsole IDE. It comes with a modified
version of OpenOCD which supports FlashPRO programmer. But the distribution
(the Windows installer) doesn’t seem to contain the sources. **Tell me
please how I can get them.*
“
“
*Hi Valentin, I regret to inform you that we would not be able to share
the source code for the Soft Console with you. **Thanks for contacting
Microsemi.*
“
I have had a problem with their version of OpenOCD (it fails to shut down
while working with Eclipse, not SoftConsole) and I’m willing to
investigate. But I can’t do it without the sources.
Sorry for bad English,
Valentin Gorelov.
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[Paul Fertser]

Hello Valentin,

Post by Горелов Валентин Владимирович
The distribution of this IDE (the Windows installer) includes a modified version
of OpenOCD which supports the Microsemi proprietary FlashPro programmer.

...

Post by Горелов Валентин Владимирович
“
Hi Valentin, I regret to inform you that we would not be able to share the
source code for the Soft Console with you. Thanks for contacting Microsemi.
“

That's a clear violation of the GNU GPL, thanks a lot for notifying
us.

I'll try to contact them and demand the compliance as a copyright
holder of code portions.

[Andreas Fritiofson]

According to the license agreement for the softconsole IDE, Microsemi
offers to provide the source code to any of the open source components,
thereby complying with the license (at least the first step).

The request should be made to ***@microsemi.com and not the
support channel, which may explain why they would not provide the code on
request.

/Andreas

Post by Márton Miklós
Hello Valentin,
On Tue, Mar 07, 2017 at 12:12:34PM +0000, ГПрелПв ВалеМтОМ ВлаЎОЌОрПвОч

Post by Горелов Валентин Владимирович
The distribution of this IDE (the Windows installer) includes a modified

version

Post by Горелов Валентин Владимирович
of OpenOCD which supports the Microsemi proprietary FlashPro programmer.

...

Post by Горелов Валентин Владимирович
“
Hi Valentin, I regret to inform you that we would not be able to share

the

Post by Горелов Валентин Владимирович
source code for the Soft Console with you. Thanks for contacting

Microsemi.

Post by Горелов Валентин Владимирович
“

That's a clear violation of the GNU GPL, thanks a lot for notifying
us.
I'll try to contact them and demand the compliance as a copyright
holder of code portions.
--
Be free, use free (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) software!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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dictionary content that is easy and intuitive to access. Sign up for an
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projects. Get started today and enter our developer competition.
http://sdm.link/oxford
_______________________________________________
OpenOCD-devel mailing list
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/openocd-devel

[Paul Fertser]

According to the license agreement for the softconsole IDE, Microsemi offers to
provide the source code to any of the open source components, thereby complying
with the license (at least the first step).

I downloaded the installer and it unpacked all the components without
showing any EULA (I used text mode).

channel, which may explain why they would not provide the code on request.

Interesting. Valentin, are you going to try mailing him?

If you are, please request the source not only for OpenOCD itself but
also for libfpcommwrapper.so, libfpcomm.so and libfputil.so libraries
as well, as the OpenOCD license doesn't have any exceptions that allow
linking with proprietary code.

[Andreas Fritiofson]

Post by Andreas Fritiofson

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
According to the license agreement for the softconsole IDE, Microsemi

offers to

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
provide the source code to any of the open source components, thereby

complying

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
with the license (at least the first step).

I downloaded the installer and it unpacked all the components without
showing any EULA (I used text mode).

The license agreement is available on the download page, as a separate PDF.

I have not downloaded the actual software.

/Andreas

[Горелов Валентин Владимирович]

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
According to the license agreement for the softconsole IDE, Microsemi
offers to provide the source code to any of the open source
components, thereby complying with the license (at least the first step).

I downloaded the installer and it unpacked all the components without showing any EULA (I used text mode).

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
the support channel, which may explain why they would not provide the code on request.

Interesting. Valentin, are you going to try mailing him?

If you are, please request the source not only for OpenOCD itself but also for libfpcommwrapper.so, libfpcomm.so and libfputil.so libraries as well, as the OpenOCD license doesn't have any exceptions that allow linking with proprietary code.

--
Be free, use free (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) software!
mailto:***@gmail.com

[Горелов Валентин Владимирович]

I sent a request for the sources more than a week ago but still have no response.
What else should I have done?

-----Original Message-----
From: Горелов Валентин Владимирович
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2017 10:31 AM
To: 'Paul Fertser'; Andreas Fritiofson
Cc: openocd-***@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: RE: [OpenOCD-devel] Possible GPL violation

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
According to the license agreement for the softconsole IDE, Microsemi
offers to provide the source code to any of the open source
components, thereby complying with the license (at least the first step).

I downloaded the installer and it unpacked all the components without showing any EULA (I used text mode).

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
the support channel, which may explain why they would not provide the code on request.

Interesting. Valentin, are you going to try mailing him?

If you are, please request the source not only for OpenOCD itself but also for libfpcommwrapper.so, libfpcomm.so and libfputil.so libraries as well, as the OpenOCD license doesn't have any exceptions that allow linking with proprietary code.

--
Be free, use free (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) software!
mailto:***@gmail.com

[Andreas Fritiofson]

I guess that should be sufficient. Have you still not received any response?

/Andreas

On Tue, Mar 21, 2017 at 10:24 AM, ГПрелПв ВалеМтОМ ВлаЎОЌОрПвОч <

Post by Горелов Валентин Владимирович
I sent a request for the sources more than a week ago but still have no response.
What else should I have done?
-----Original Message-----
From: ГПрелПв ВалеМтОМ ВлаЎОЌОрПвОч
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2017 10:31 AM
To: 'Paul Fertser'; Andreas Fritiofson
Subject: RE: [OpenOCD-devel] Possible GPL violation

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
According to the license agreement for the softconsole IDE, Microsemi
offers to provide the source code to any of the open source
components, thereby complying with the license (at least the first step).

I downloaded the installer and it unpacked all the components without
showing any EULA (I used text mode).

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
the support channel, which may explain why they would not provide the

code on request.
Interesting. Valentin, are you going to try mailing him?
If you are, please request the source not only for OpenOCD itself but also
for libfpcommwrapper.so, libfpcomm.so and libfputil.so libraries as well,
as the OpenOCD license doesn't have any exceptions that allow linking with
proprietary code.
--
Be free, use free (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) software!

[Горелов Валентин Владимирович]

No. I still have not received any response. Could any of the copyright holders try to contact Microsemi?

From: ***@fritiofson.net [mailto:***@fritiofson.net] On Behalf Of Andreas Fritiofson
Sent: Wednesday, April 5, 2017 4:05 PM
To: ГПрелПв ВалеМтОМ ВлаЎОЌОрПвОч
Cc: Paul Fertser; openocd-***@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: Re: [OpenOCD-devel] Possible GPL violation

I guess that should be sufficient. Have you still not received any response?

/Andreas

On Tue, Mar 21, 2017 at 10:24 AM, ГПрелПв ВалеМтОМ ВлаЎОЌОрПвОч <***@bpa.ru<mailto:***@bpa.ru>> wrote:
I sent a request for the sources more than a week ago but still have no response.
What else should I have done?

-----Original Message-----
From: ГПрелПв ВалеМтОМ ВлаЎОЌОрПвОч
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2017 10:31 AM
To: 'Paul Fertser'; Andreas Fritiofson
Cc: openocd-***@lists.sourceforge.net<mailto:openocd-***@lists.sourceforge.net>
Subject: RE: [OpenOCD-devel] Possible GPL violation

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
According to the license agreement for the softconsole IDE, Microsemi
offers to provide the source code to any of the open source
components, thereby complying with the license (at least the first step).

I downloaded the installer and it unpacked all the components without showing any EULA (I used text mode).

Post by Andreas Fritiofson
the support channel, which may explain why they would not provide the code on request.

Interesting. Valentin, are you going to try mailing him?

If you are, please request the source not only for OpenOCD itself but also for libfpcommwrapper.so, libfpcomm.so and libfputil.so libraries as well, as the OpenOCD license doesn't have any exceptions that allow linking with proprietary code.

[Andreas Färber]

Hi Валентин,

I’m a user of the Microsemi SoftConsole IDE
(https://www.microsemi.com/products/fpga-soc/design-resources/design-software/softconsole)
The distribution of this IDE (the Windows installer) includes a modified
version of OpenOCD which supports the Microsemi proprietary FlashPro
programmer.

Independent of the GPL issue at hand, you might be interested to hear
that I have a pure ftdi based config in the works for the Arrow SF2+
board with Embedded FlashPro5 (FT4232H). At least I can access the FPGA
TAP and switch to the SmartFusion2 Cortex-M3 TAP/DAP on M2S010.

No flash driver yet, and no UJTAG support, so the Microsemi sources
would indeed be useful, as base for a cleaner implementation.

Currently it's just a hacked-together local openocd.cfg, but I'll try to
clean it up over the holidays and share it in Gerrit.

Cheers,
Andreas