Why was the GPLv2 chosen as the license for the T1 processor Register Transfer Language (RTL)?

Sun wanted to release T1 processor RTL under the GPLv2 so that the community would have access to processor technology under an open source license. The GPLv2 gives user the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the technology. More precisely, it refers to four kinds of freedom, for the users of the technology:

• The freedom to use the technology for any purpose.
• The freedom to study how the technology works, and adapt it to your needs.
• The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others in the community.
• The freedom to improve the technology, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits.

The GPLv2 license is viewable here. Unofficial translations can also be found there at Translations. The GPLv2 meets the requirements of the Open Source Definition and has been approved as an open source license by the Open Source Initiative.

Why was the BSD license chosen for some of the OpenSPARC technology?

Sun chose the BSD for certain technologies in order to make them more broadly available to multiple open source communities such as FreeBSD and OpenSolaris.

I want to get credit for my work and for people to know what I wrote - can I still get credit if I use the GPLv2?

You can certainly get credit for your work. Part of releasing a program under the GPL is writing a copyright notice in your own name (assuming you are the copyright holder). The GPL require's all copies to carry an appropriate copyright notice, however you should not remove any copyright notices already embedded in the technology.

Can Sun ever take away the OpenSPARC technology licensed under the GPLv2?

No, once technology is licensed under the GPLv2, the technology remains licensed under the terms of the GPLv2.

Can I redistribute or sell the OpenSPARC technology licensed under the GPLv2 with my modifications?

Yes, you can modify and redistribute technology, including charging a fee for the distribution. However, you will need to meet the terms of the GPLv2, including making the RTL of your modified technology available under the GPLv2.

May I take portions of the OpenSPARC technology licensed under the GPLv2 and use it in another project?

You can only do so if you comply with the terms of the GPLv2.

If I contribute technology which was licensed under the GPLv2 to the OpenSPARC project, what will I be asked to do as far as licensing is concerned?

Technology licensed under the GPLv2 which you contribute to the OpenSPARC project must be made available under the GPLv2. We're working out the details of the code submission process. In addition, you must have submitted a contributor agreement. The contributor agreement policy can be found at: Contributors Agreement.

If I distribute OpenSPARC technology licensed under the GPLv2 in my proprietary product, will I have to share my RTL?

Yes, for any technology licensed under the GPLv2 and any modifications you make you must share. Review the terms of the GPLv2 to determine if you have additional obligations.

Can I license my modified OpenSPARC technology under the GPLv2, as well as under another license?

You should carefully review the terms of the GPLv2 with respect to your licensing obligations, but generally if you choose to distribute your modifications to others it must be released under the same terms as the original technology. So, the modifications you choose to distribute must be licensed under the GPLv2.

Will all of the T1 processor RTL technology be released under the GPLv2?

The OpenSPARC T1 processor RTL was released under the GPLv2. In order to promote compatibility with a variety of communities (Linux, FreeBSD and OpenSolaris), some technology and tools will be made available under a BSD license. Other technology (particularly code contributed by third parties and certain tools) will only be available as binaries will only be available under a binary Software License Agreement. Finally, some components may be based on existing open source projects and these will be made available on the OpenSPARC website under their current licenses.

Does Sun intend to use GPLv3 as the license for the RTL when GPlv3 is released?

It is anticipated that the GPLv3 will be available in about a year, but the terms are still under discussion, so we are using GPLv2 for the RTL. We will evaluate GPLv3, and consider its appropriateness for OpenSPARC, when GPLv3 is finalized.