Troubles location BSD-licensed CMSIS as announced on mbed blog

30 Apr 2013

(s/location/locating/ in the title)

I'm having trouble locating BSD-licensed CMSIS, as advertised on mbed.org blog: http://mbed.org/blog/entry/CMSIS-Components-BSD-Licensed/

Did anybody see/download this package? If so, can you share exact instructions/direct links, and/or mirror the package?

If no, please add comment here either, so mbed/ARM teams know that their great work is valued, anticipated!

30 Apr 2013

The generic ARM CMSIS package is here: https://silver.arm.com/browse/CMSIS

We are distributing some of its components in the mbed SDK sources:

HTH, Emilio

30 Apr 2013

Thanks for the reply!

Emilio Monti wrote:

The generic ARM CMSIS package

Ok, let's consider it was my incorrect interpretation of the original blog post. I considered clause

"ARM has officially released the software components of the CMSIS package, used by the mbed SDK, under the well known and understood BSD license"

to mean that a separate package would be provided, wholly licensed under BSD. It appears it's not the case, single big CMSIS package is still provided (filename: CMSIS-SP-00300-r3p2-00rel1.zip), which includes both BSD-licensed and proprietary-licensed components.

The problem, as the initial messages says, is that user is given non-OpenSource, highly restrictive EULA to accept before downloading the complete package, with provisions in that EULA directly conflicting with BSD license.

The situation reminds one with another company's OpenSource project few years ago: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2008/05/vias-openbook-initiative-fails-at-actually-being-open/ . I'm sure the underlying reason is the same: it's one thing to get right-licensed files included into a package, it's another to have it served on the company's website, managed by another department, with other rules and procedures in place, etc. I hope this matter will be addressed - ideal solution would be to prepare a separate package, completely licensed under BSD terms.

All in all, kudos Emilio and others who made this possible @ARM. ARM once again affirms its industry leadership and community-friendliness. Can we expect Mali spec to be opened next? ;-)

13 Nov 2013

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