nios2 toolchain sources

Richard Klingler schrieb:

well if they dont want to violate the GPL license they must provide the source codes, like both Xilinx and Lattice do for their soft cpus

Antti

Aaahh....familiar name (o;

At least I could win Lattice and Actel for sponsoring design software and devices. But concentrating on porting to Lattice now as Actel sended an obsolete evaluation board (o;

Isn't that with GPL that you only have to give the sources upon requests if you already bought their product? So basically someone without a NIOS board the request could be denied?

cheers rick

IANAL but I've dealt with the GPL for a *long* time. The GPL allows for three options when you distribute binaries:

1. Always include the source with the binaries. This works with physical media, such as CD-ROM. (GPL 3a)
2. Make the source available via the same means as the binaries. This works with web downloads, but the sources must be at the same site (i.e. same admins) and "as accessible" as the binaries (i.e. if there's no password on the binaries, there should be no password on the sources). The rule is, if you can get the binaries, you must be able to get the sources - although you may choose not to. Otherwise, the sources don't "accompany" the binaries. (also GPL 3a)
3. Include a written offer, good for three years, to provide the sources at a later date (for cost of media and postage). IMHO this only works if the offer can be considered a "legal document" as it's a dated contract. I interpret this as meaning "downloaded text files don't count" although digitally signed files may if the signed text includes the current date. (GPL 3b and 3c)

Note that option 3 is transferrable and sharable - if you get an offer, you can photocopy it for as many friends as you like, and the distributor is legally obligated to honor them. This is the only option that *requires* you to give sources to someone you've never given binaries to. GPL 3b covers when the originator creates the offer for binaries they distribute, GPL 3c covers propogation of such offer. Note the "any third party" in 3b :-)

I include GPL section 3 verbatim below.

1. You may copy and distribute the Program (or a work based on it, under Section 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following:

a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

c) Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer to distribute corresponding source code. (This alternative is allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you received the program in object code or executable form with such an offer, in accord with Subsection b above.)

Richard Klingler schrieb:

well, if there is anything that can be downloaded from Altera like NIOS eval, that includes GPL based stuff then you should be able to get sources of that - even if you did not pay for the product.

so NIOS eval is downloadable - those the GCC sources should be also available at the same method, eg download..

Antti

Anyway, I fail to see why you need the source code anyway. I suspect that the only person in this list that can make any use of the GCC code is Mr Delorie :)

bruns

Richard Kl>

The sources that you are looking for are they the ones that come on the install CDs or the ones described in application note 267 (AN267)?

Derek

Richard Kl> EHLO (o;

So..how about you're getting a NIOS2 board and you just want to compile software for it on a different host?

Let's say...FBSD, Solaris, OSX etc...

cheers rick

Hi Derek

The ones on the Linux NIOS2 CD...the WIndows version isn't really usable on a case-sensitive filesystem (o;

cheers rick

I found this link very useful.

-Rich