Licence of libmcc

[falstaff]

Hi,

The License of libmcc is bothering me for a while now (also mentioned it back at my Talk back at BetterEmbedded). Now that people are starting to use libmcc more, I would like to clarify that: According to the LICENCE file, the library is GPLv2+. However, this essentially prevents the library to be used from a closed source application. Is this by intent? I think a LGPL license would be more appropriate. Maybe Timesys Support can help here?

--

Stefan

[vv-]

Hi,

Using MCC v2 should solve this problem.

Regards,

Vladimir

[falstaff]

Hi Vladimir,

Thanks for that hint. Hm, it seems that MCC v2 for Vybrid is not released for the Linux BSP, is this right? However, we anyway use a different Kernel version than what is provided by the Timesys BSP.

For SoloX, I guess the Kernel part is implemented in the mcc_* files within the Freescale Kernel tree:

linux-2.6-imx.git - Freescale i.MX Linux Tree

Is there a user-space library which implements the MCC API (like libmcc) too? If yes (for Vybrid or for SoloX), can you tell me where I can get that portion?

--

Stefan

[falstaff]

Just had a bit deeper look into MCC v2, it seems that it uses by default the new Messaging Unit (MU) IP which is available in SoloX. I guess due to that backporting it to Vybrid involves some more work. Since the API is quite similar to V1, just kernel only, I guess an almost feature complete MCC V2 is possible on Vybrid. The only except I see are hardware functionality such as wake-up from deep sleep modes which are provided by the MU IP.

timesyssupport​ is this still on your roadmap? I've seen it was planned once, discussed in the Thread linux libmcc​.

[timesyssupport]

Hi Stefan,

We are currently integrating MCC v2 for Vybrid (based on the MCC v2 for SoloX), and are expecting to have a release available by end of August.

Thanks,

Timesys Support

[falstaff]

Hi Timesys Support,

I have seen that with the "3.13-vf610-twr-ts2.6" release there has been something new integrated which suggests to be MCC 2.0. Also, there is a library called libmcc2, which is still under GPL.

Afaik, the MCCv2 implementation for SoloX, only provided a tty Kernel driver, I guess this is why vv-​ meant that MCCv2 would solve the licensing issue. Looking into the code it seems that MCC 2.0 for Vybrid uses that SoloX tty MCC driver (in drivers/char/imx_amp/imx_mcc_libmcc.c), but in a modified version such that still a user space library (libmcc2) is required... Which is still under GPL and hence makes the whole solution for commercial use somewhat unsuitable.

--

Stefan

[timesyssupport]

Hi Stefan,

We are in the process of updating MCC to dual GPLv2/BSD license, and will update in Factory and meta-fsl-arm-extra Yocto layer.

Thanks,

Timesys Support

[naoumgitnik]

Dear Stefan,

what Freescale product is it related to, please? - Vybrid?

Regards, Naoum Gitnik.

[falstaff]

This is the Vybrid forum isn't it? Since the library is related to the multi-core variant of Vybrid, it mainly affects VF6xx... If MCC is also reused for i.MX6SX, it would be also related to that....

[naoumgitnik]

Dear Stefan,

It looks like all these organizational issues around the license of your interest are Freescale's prerogative, not Timesys's. Due to that, have you tried turning to a local Freescale FAE to clarify for you how to get this license?

Sorry for not being really instrumental this time - not a real expert in the license rules...

Regards, Naoum Gitnik.

[karinavalencia]

[naoumgitnik]

Dear timesyssupport,

May you comment here, please?

Thanks in advance, Naoum Gitnik.

[karina_valencia]

timesyssupport can you  share your comments  about this case?

[timesyssupport]

Hello karinavalencia and naoumgitnik,

The license in question contains Freescale headers; while we do maintain the source code, the licensing is Freescale. Can Freescale comment on this, as we have inquired internally at Freescale?

Thank you,

Timesys Support