~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HEADER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHARTER.txt (C) Yann GUIDON 2000 for the F-CPU project. file created : nov. 23, 2000 by YG current version : dec. 30, 2000 by YG $add revisions date/names here.$ Like everything in the F-CPU project, it is a basis and subject for constructive discussions and it should not be considered as definitive. Everybody is asked to contribute to this decisive, non-technical side of the project. I have cut&pasted some parts of the previous "F-CPU licence proposal". It is still incomplete. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~INTRODUCTION~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Freedom CPU project (F-CPU for short) is the only fully parametised 64-bit SIMD CPU core available today in source code form. Not only it is designed to be able to replace (one day) the best existing RISC processors in workstations, but it is being developped in a net-community environment by students as well as professionals as a hobby. Because their work is performed for free, they want it to remain free, just like Linux or the GNU project. The purpose of this file is to introduce newcomers to the F-CPU design philosophy and basic rules. More about this can be read on the F-CPU mailing list(s) and manual. Because the GNU Public Licence covers most of the needs of the project, it is the only licence that you have to comply with. It determines the rights and duties concerning the distribution, modification, compilation etc. of the "source code" of the processor (that is : the VHDL sources contained in this tarball). However, the GPL doesn't apply to the "electronic" world and the implementors are completely free to do whatever they want with the derived physical devices. You don't have to read the rest of this file if you only want to use the files without modification. For example, it is not revelant if you just install the bundle and try to compile the files. However, if you modify a file, add a new file, adapt a file for compilation with a tool, build the circuit or add features, you should carefully read this text. This charter is intended to provide developpers with guidelines, "do and don't" rules that should be followed to keep the project up and running. If a chip is built from the F-CPU sources then distributed, the respect of these rules will determine if the chip can be labelled as "a F-CPU". The use of the F-CPU source files is completely free under the terms of the GPL, the implementation is not bound in any way, but the F-CPU development team follows these basic rules : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~GUIDELINES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ o "The name of the game is freedom". It is forbidden to forbid others. "One's freedom ends where other's freedom starts". These three well-known basic rules favor reciprocal respect and positive ununcumbered work. o We promote collaborative work, free communication and unconstrained sharing of knowledge and know-how. This project is not a way to earn money quickly and easily, but a mean to learn technics in a community, with the goal of redistributing the knowledge evenly. o The distribution, modification and knowledge of the sources (non physical forms of the design, as opposed to the "physical implementation" of this design) must not be bound or restricted in ANY way. o In particular, you need not be a customer of a F-CPU vendor in order to access the sources of any F-CPU version or derived work. o Similarly, in-progress works must be available upon a single request. An attempt to over-delay the transmission of the requested files can be interpreted as a "guilty" behaviour. o The reason for this break from the GPL principle is simple : the F-CPU is not the property of an individual or a company, but belongs to everybody. Anybody must be able to examine, use or modify any version of any document because it is not the exclusive property of a single person. If you have your kid in a kindergarten, you think it is normal to visit the location and see if your kid is safe or if nothing wrong can happen. Same goes with software that we write in community. o Do not promote secrecy. Just as the sources came to you openly, you should not promote secrets or hidden features. It is forbidden to patent existing features used in the F-CPU. The F-CPU forums and mailing lists provide you with different ways to share your remarks, additions, propositions, etc. Secrecy has no advantage in the F-CPU community and corresponds to a self-exclusion from the group. o Do not bind the files to a proprietary software or obscure file format. Anybody should be able to reuse your work without being forced to acquire a specific software. Standard formats are highly recommended (ISO, ANSI etc), GNU software is preferred, freeware or public domain is ok, too. If you use a "specific" software, you are asked to add the required scripts or configuration files that interface the F-CPU source with said software, and publish them under the GPL. o When a source file is modified, the developer should update the comments and indicate his name, the date, and a short description of the modifications. It is the easiest way to keep track of the project's evolution. More about this can be read in the QUALITY.TXT file. Compliance with the quality guidelines can influence whether a file or directory can be officially part of the F-CPU package. o Please : document and comment your modifications or additions, because you can read and understand the existing sources. The lack of decent documentation, just like obfuscated source code, slows down the development team's work. o When a source file is added to the F-CPU file pool, it must be distributed with the GPL. o Whenever a file is created or modified, the developper has to include his personal copyright notice. It is a crucial legal protection mechanism because different copyrights get thus inter-mixed. This strengthens the relations and dependcies between the developpers. If a legal problem arises, a single developper can not be attacked alone. o All documentations written about the F-CPU and the associated software must be distributed under the terms of the GFDL (GNU Free Documentation Licence). This applies to manuals, technical books, drafts or requests for comments (RFCs). o Personal opinions, articles or other individual expressions about the F-CPU are well covered by the copyright laws (that means that an article or conference doesn't need to be bound by the GFDL). o Even though the GLP allows to sell physical media containing GPL'd files, the present guidelines only allow it if the same files are available for free on the Internet with the conditions described here. This is consistent with the fact that the packaging of the files on a physical medium is a service only, it is not an exception to the present guidelines. o The modification of the F-CPU design is allowed under the sole condition that you agree to and respect these guidelines. You do not have to register yourself in a database, you do not need any authorization of any kind and you can do whatever you want with the F-CPU design, except : changing the copyright notices, altering these guidelines or use them against their spirit. o Unlike some "Open" standards and initiatives, you do not need to fill in a form, pay a fee or a licence to use the F-CPU design. In return, you may not restrict the direct access to the design that you have modified, even for the sake of collecting statistics or polling (or, in general, collecting individual/personal data or going through advertising pages). o Other guidelines will be added in the future. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These recommendations can be enforced through the Copyright laws and are added to the terms of the GPL. This document is protected by the Copyright laws.