Posted on May 17, 2011 at 12:35hi,
ST recently released v2 of the firmware lib and usb kit. this post makes two comments about them.
1) packaging:
the previous versions were posted in a reasonably open and de facto standard packaging file format: zip files. unbelievably, the new versions are win32 exe files. I'm sure some lawyer who has to justify his paycheck demanded that the files be distributed using a click-through license and an exe was just the simplest way to comply.
unfortunately now users are exposed to the aggravation of having to run untrusted and potentially unsafe code on their machines and *install software* just to get to a couple of text files. of course users who avoid microsoft OSes for kiddies and choose various other options are completely denied access and left behind. BTW, I believe from personal experience that this category includes some of the most talented developers.
so please ST, if you really have to make us click through, at least implement the click-through in the web server and republish the files using an open format.
2) license:
I've never seen the click-through license of the new files, but I strongly suspect it exists. (could someone post it?) I've seen the earlier license of the firmware lib though; here it is:
********************************************************************************
* THE PRESENT SOFTWARE WHICH IS FOR GUIDANCE ONLY AIMS AT PROVIDING CUSTOMERS
* WITH CODING INFORMATION REGARDING THEIR PRODUCTS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO SAVE TIME.
* AS A RESULT, STMICROELECTRONICS SHALL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
* INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIMS ARISING FROM THE
* CONTENT OF SUCH SOFTWARE AND/OR THE USE MADE BY CUSTOMERS OF THE CODING
* INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR PRODUCTS.
*******************************************************************************/
a simple, *SANE* license. it just says, hey, we want to help you. it says, you know, this code is so completely linked to our STM32 product that you won't be able to use it in any useful way without buying our product, so just have fun with it: learn, build on it, improve it, and share.
however I suspect there's a new license will all sorts of crap in it. at a minimum, you probably won't be able to share the source code: forget about open source software based on the lib, forget about publishing bug-fixes to the lib, hey, even forget about *discussing* bugs and features in ST's forum like it's been done until now (by posting a line of the lib's source code and asking ''is this right?''). heck, are we even allowed to discuss the prototypes of the functions? they sure are copyrighted! how about just their names?
anyway, a while back I published a little c++ build environment for the stm32 in this forum which at the time was the only fully open source solution (is it still?). it included the fwlib 1.0. unfortunately it won't be updated to support the high-density devices due to these issues. even if it were, it probably couldn't be published and wouldn't be open source.
I've also posted an easy way to route stdio via a USB CDC COM port, it's great help for debugging. it included the usb kit and some sample code with many bug-fixes. I can't upgrade it to usb kit 2.0, though. tough luck!
again, I'm supposing a restrictive license applies. if that's the case, for me the high-density devices and the new software releases just don't exist. I'm sticking with v1.0 software and medium density until ST (hopefully soon) assumes a sane position on these issues.
ST: don't let some lawyers who ignore how the developer community works and behaves run things, they'll ruin the STM32. if you need lawyers with insight, maybe you could ask
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Lessig
for recommendations.
please forgive me if I got a little carried away with the language, this is just too important for me. if the STM32 looses its openness I'll move on to another supplier, like I've done many times in the past.
thanks for reading.
