License for ARM device tree file

[Li Yang]

On Mon, Sep 28, 2015 at 2:29 PM, Russell King - ARM Linux
<linux at arm.linux.org.uk> wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 28, 2015 at 07:14:30PM +0000, Li Leo wrote:
>> I saw some discussion going on last year about the permissive license
>> to be used in ARM device tree files.  I know a lot of files have been
>> changed to use GPLv2/X11 license.  But may I know if GPLv2/BSD 3-clause
>> dual license is still a valid license to use in ARM device tree files.
>> It has been our standard permissive license used for a long time in
>> many components like device trees in Power architecture.
>
> It would have been nice to have had some input at the time that what
> little discussion there was happened.
>
> I'm sorry, but at this point I'm of the opinion that the window for
> discussing what license we switch to has been had, and the matter is
> settled; those who didn't take part in the discussion have themselves
> to blame if they don't like the outcome.
>
> What I'm saying is that I doubt anyone has the stomach to go through
> another set of license changes on the existing files to suit some
> late-commer to the party.
>

Right.  I'm not proposing to change all the device trees into another
license.  GPL/X11 is actually a good license to use.

> However, we can't dictate to people what license they wish to submit
> their work under; though, we can make the decision whether to accept
> it under the license terms or not.

But I'm wondering if we submit a device tree patch using other GPL
compatible permissive license(like GPL/3-clause-BSD dual license)
which doesn't include any other device tree files, will it still be
acceptable or not?

>
> I think the problem will come if we try to mix a file that's licensed
> one way, which includes files licensed under a different set of
> licenses... if you want to use a file licensed under BSD 3-clause but
> don't want to agree to the GPL license (so you're only bound by the
> BSD 3-clause license) and that file includes some GPL/X11 licensed
> files, then what?

Permissive licenses like X11 and BSD 3-clause should be compatible
with each other right?

Regards,
Leo