[U-Boot] Cellphones U-Boot and GPL
I've recently bought an Acer cellphone powerd by Android. For fun I looked inside the update files and checking the bootloader binary I've discovered that it is based on U-Boot v2009.01 (the string is clearly visible using an Hex Editor), so I disassembled the first part of file, comparing it with start.S in u-boot-1.1.6/cpu/arm926ejs (this is the core of microprocessor: an st-ericson u6715) and it only slightly different. Now my question: U-Boot is released under GPLv2 license; is Acer obliged to give source code if requested (paying the appropriate fee for the physical transfer) ?
Best regards Simone Navari
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Dear "Simone Navari",
In message 6B3EDE875CA549879D5F776404C05FDB@snavari01 you wrote:
I've recently bought an Acer cellphone powerd by Android. For fun I looked inside the update files and checking the bootloader binary I've discovered that it is based on U-Boot v2009.01 (the string is clearly visible using an Hex Editor), so I disassembled the first part of file, comparing it with start.S in u-boot-1.1.6/cpu/arm926ejs (this is the core of microprocessor: an st-ericson u6715) and it only slightly different. Now my question: U-Boot is released under GPLv2 license; is Acer obliged to give source code if requested (paying the appropriate fee for the physical transfer) ?
Short and simple answer: yes, of course they are.
I suggest you ask them. Please let me know if there should be any problems, and I will try to help.
Best regards,
Wolfgang Denk
On Thu, Oct 7, 2010 at 8:31 AM, Wolfgang Denk wd@denx.de wrote:
In message 6B3EDE875CA549879D5F776404C05FDB@snavari01 you wrote:
I've recently bought an Acer cellphone powerd by Android.
Now my question: U-Boot is released under GPLv2 license; is Acer obliged to give source code if requested (paying the appropriate fee for the physical transfer) ?
Short and simple answer: yes, of course they are.
The Linux kernel source code for the Acer Liquid phone is available for download under the "Document" tab of their Service & Support Downloads page.
If I recall correctly, U-Boot isn't a common bootloader for Android devices so that Acer team may not have realized U-Boot also needed to be released.
-- Ken
participants (3)
-
Ken MacLeod -
Simone Navari -
Wolfgang Denk