> Then you misunderstand the popular definition. I think the general > consensus of "open source" means you can look at it. In most cases you can > do more, usually much more. But some restrictions, like GPL or my > copyright, don't disqualify it from being "open source". Exactly! Open Source and Free Software are two different things. There are some free software that are not open source and vica versa. Like Public Domain is free software but the source in not necessarily open. But there are other open source licences around than GPL, like LGPL, BSD, Apache and even Microsoft Public License :-) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_software_licenses Some of them has a meaning that the software has to be free of charge and the company can charge only for services, some others are not even declares the software as free, and there are some that only lets you peek into the source without permitting you to modifying it or even recompiling it. Personally I'd prefer those that I can recompile so I could prove that the binary was generated from that particular source. Anyway, is there any place where I could download the device scripts for PicKit2 - or that is not open source? Tamas On Thu, May 8, 2008 at 12:48 PM, Olin Lathrop wrote: > Xiaofan Chen wrote: > > Just read my reply to Olin and you will know I was just talking > > based on the popular definition of "open source". > > Then you misunderstand the popular definition. I think the general > consensus of "open source" means you can look at it. In most cases you can > do more, usually much more. But some restrictions, like GPL or my > copyright, don't disqualify it from being "open source". > > There are probably others listening in wondering what the fuss is about. > Here is the copyright notice of the source files that do not directly > implement a programming algorithm or are part of the USB framework: > > *************************************************************** > * Copyright (C) 2008, Embed Inc (http://www.embedinc.com) * > * * > * Permission to copy this file is granted as long as this * > * copyright notice is included in its entirety at the * > * beginning of the file, whether the file is copied in whole * > * or in part and regardless of whether other information is * > * added to the copy. * > * * > * The contents of this file may be used in any way, * > * commercial or otherwise. This file is provided "as is", * > * and Embed Inc makes no claims of suitability for a * > * particular purpose nor assumes any liability resulting from * > * its use. * > *************************************************************** > > Geesh guys, all I'm asking for is to be credited in the source, and you > don't even need to show it to your customers or anyone else. This is a > *way* less restrictive than the GPL. By the way, all my PIC development > environment (http://www.embedinc.com/pic) code either has this same > copyright or none at all. > > The USBProg USB framework modules or modules that implement programming > algorithms are more restricted: > > **************************************************************** > * Copyright (C) 2008, Embed Inc (http://www.embedinc.com). * > * All rights reserved except as explicitly noted here. * > * * > * Permission to copy this file is granted as long as this * > * copyright notice is included in its entirety at the * > * beginning of the file, whether the file is copied in whole * > * or in part and regardless of whether other information is * > * added to the copy, and one of the following conditions is * > * met: * > * * > * 1 - Any executable derived from the this file is only run * > * on a Embed Inc product. * > * * > * 2 - Any device that contains executable code derived from * > * this file is not sold, not distributed for commercial * > * advantage, and not more than 10 (ten) instances of the * > * device are created. * > * * > * To copy this file otherwise requires explicit permission * > * from Embed Inc and may also require a fee. * > * * > * The information in this file is provided "as is". Embed Inc * > * makes no claims of suitability for any particular purpose * > * nor assumes any liability resulting from its use. * > **************************************************************** > > Basically I don't want my hard work coming back and competing with me, and > if someone else is going to make a buck from it I want a make some too. > I'm > not trying to stop anyone that is truly doing personal projects, and note > that any hacking of a USBProg is explicitly allowed. You could even add a > feature to the USBProg and sell your modified firmware for profit without > disclosing the code, which is something you couldn't do under the GPL. > > But the main point is, restrictions or not, it's still "open source" by > common usage of that term. > > > ******************************************************************** > Embed Inc, Littleton Massachusetts, http://www.embedinc.com/products > (978) 742-9014. Gold level PIC consultants since 2000. > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- Rudonix DoubleSaver http://www.rudonix.com -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist