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Why would a bootloader ever be considered part of the same program—they don't even ever run at the same time. Also, this person (https://github.com/prusa3d/Pru

Why would a bootloader ever be considered part of the same program—they don't even ever run at the same time. Also, this person (https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy/issues/1440#issuecomment-855153091 https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy/issues/1440#...) misread the GPL, when they said this: > but the license clearly states that it is not an aggregate if they are combined to form a larger program in or on a storage or distribution medium The GPL very much does not say that: > which are not combined with it such as to form a larger program, in or on a volume of a storage or distribution medium, is called an “aggregate”

gjsman-1000 5y ago
Otherwise GRUB, which boots Linux, would force your entire OS to be GPL. Worse, GRUB can boot Windows when dual-booting, and because Windows will never be GPL, GRUB's ability to boot Windows would be a GPL violation. The bootloader on the Prusa Mini is basically GRUB in this case.
- sokoloff 5y ago
  I don’t think that my installing Grub and Windows for my own use would be a GPL violation under that line of reasoning. I can freely co-install non-GPL and GPL software, so long as I do not propagate (or convey) the result. One excerpt: “This License explicitly affirms your unlimited permission to run the unmodified Program.”
weinzierl 5y ago
> Why would a bootloader ever be considered part of the same program—they don't even ever run at the same time. Hmm, its not so easy, I think. A bootloader is code that might be in the address space after boot and may well run even after boot. Real world examples of this are the PC-BIOS (if you agree to classify it as kind of a boot loader) and Sun OpenBoot PROM. The PC-BIOS routines are used during runtime of older Operating Systems and to bring up the newer ones. Diagnostics Mode on a Sun can be entered any time by pressing a special key combo (Stop+A) and this will run OpenBoot code. Even for more modern systems using U-Boot it is not clear cut. At least U-Boot deemed it necessary to clarify it in its license: "U-Boot is Free Software. It is copyrighted by Wolfgang Denk and many others who contributed code (see the actual source code and the git commit messages for details). You can redistribute U-Boot and/or modify it under the terms of version 2 of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation. Most of it can also be distributed, at your option, under any later version of the GNU General Public License -- see individual files for exceptions. NOTE! This license does not cover the so-called "standalone" applications that use U-Boot services by means of the jump table provided by U-Boot exactly for this purpose - this is merely considered normal use of U-Boot, and does not fall under the heading of "derived work" -- see file Licenses/Exceptions for details. " EDIT: Just to be clear, I agree with lights0123's main argument, I just wanted to point out that it's not trivial and that "they don't even ever run at the same time." is not the strongest supporting point.
OJFord 5y ago
That is the argument presented, but I think it's worth noting that the issue or motivation underlying it is probably more a concern that Prusa might become (or is perceived to already be) less open than it was/says it is/markets itself as being/should be from a Prusa fan than it is sanctity of the GPL from a GNU fan.

gjsman-1000 5y ago

Otherwise GRUB, which boots Linux, would force your entire OS to be GPL. Worse, GRUB can boot Windows when dual-booting, and because Windows will never be GPL, GRUB's ability to boot Windows would be a GPL violation. The bootloader on the Prusa Mini is basically GRUB in this case.

sokoloff 5y ago
I don’t think that my installing Grub and Windows for my own use would be a GPL violation under that line of reasoning. I can freely co-install non-GPL and GPL software, so long as I do not propagate (or convey) the result. One excerpt: “This License explicitly affirms your unlimited permission to run the unmodified Program.”

weinzierl 5y ago

> Why would a bootloader ever be considered part of the same program—they don't even ever run at the same time. Hmm, its not so easy, I think. A bootloader is code that might be in the address space after boot and may well run even after boot. Real world examples of this are the PC-BIOS (if you agree to classify it as kind of a boot loader) and Sun OpenBoot PROM. The PC-BIOS routines are used during runtime of older Operating Systems and to bring up the newer ones. Diagnostics Mode on a Sun can be entered any time by pressing a special key combo (Stop+A) and this will run OpenBoot code. Even for more modern systems using U-Boot it is not clear cut. At least U-Boot deemed it necessary to clarify it in its license: "U-Boot is Free Software. It is copyrighted by Wolfgang Denk and many others who contributed code (see the actual source code and the git commit messages for details). You can redistribute U-Boot and/or modify it under the terms of version 2 of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation. Most of it can also be distributed, at your option, under any later version of the GNU General Public License -- see individual files for exceptions. NOTE! This license does not cover the so-called "standalone" applications that use U-Boot services by means of the jump table provided by U-Boot exactly for this purpose - this is merely considered normal use of U-Boot, and does not fall under the heading of "derived work" -- see file Licenses/Exceptions for details. " EDIT: Just to be clear, I agree with lights0123's main argument, I just wanted to point out that it's not trivial and that "they don't even ever run at the same time." is not the strongest supporting point.

OJFord 5y ago

That is the argument presented, but I think it's worth noting that the issue or motivation underlying it is probably more a concern that Prusa might become (or is perceived to already be) less open than it was/says it is/markets itself as being/should be from a Prusa fan than it is sanctity of the GPL from a GNU fan.