Re: RE: New features required on Cortex-M platform

[Jerzy Dyrda <jerzdy at gmail dot com>]

Hello Andrew,

On Monday 16 of June 2014 12:08:24 Andrew Hannam wrote:
> As one of the primary developers of uGFX I have been watching the ecos
> mail-lists for a long time but have never implemented an ecos system yet
> (just due to being caught up on other projects such as uGFX).
> 
> 
> As per one of your follow-up Emails relating to uGFX versus Qt:
> 
> Some of the advantages of uGFX versus Qt:
>  - uGFX is designed for small memory footprint systems (ie. embedded
> systems), Qt is not and therefore has a very large footprint.
> - uGFX works equally well on systems without a framebuffer. Qt requires a
> framebuffer (and the related RAM requirements)
> - uGFX is a full multi-threaded GUI, you can draw from any thread regardless
> on which thread the object was created. Qt has only limited support for
> multi-threaded applications.
> - uGFX has support for many LCD controllers and supports custom wiring
> connections to your micro. Qt assumes a full graphics/windows layer is
> already available (usually X).
> - uGFX includes other sub-systems like audio, toggle switch input devices,
> analogue dials, ROM based file system etc. Qt does not.
> 
> Some disadvantages of uGFX versus Qt:
> - uGFX has a different API to Qt. More programmers are familiar with Qt.
> - uGFX has only restricted support for overlapping windows (container
> windows are however supported).
>
> uGFX is in short designed for embedded systems while Qt has a desktop based
> design.
Exactly. First time when I meet wit uGFX my thought was this is what I want
to have in eCos - small deeply embedded GUI.

> I would be happy to work with you to create a port of uGFX for ecos.
It will be a honor for me but please look at topic regarding uGFX license:

1) https://sourceware.org/ml/ecos-devel/2014-06/msg00001.html
> > License seems to be compatible and due its nature porting on new platform
> 
> I'm afraid it's not compatible with eCos licence. IMO it doesn't even
> comply with Open Source Definition http://opensource.org/definition

2) https://sourceware.org/ml/ecos-devel/2014-06/msg00002.html
> The licence disallows commercial use. Most of eCos use is commercial,
> eCos being a part of products that usually include some intellectual
> property, often other than just software.
> 
> You can link uGFX with eCos, but we can't let uGFX in main eCos tree.

To be port to eCos could be accepted by eCos maintainers it have to be
clarified licenses compatibility.
 
Best regards,
jerzy


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jerzy Dyrda [mailto:jerzdy@gmail.com] 
> Sent: Saturday, 14 June 2014 1:15 AM
> To: eCos Discussion
> Subject: Fwd: New features required on Cortex-M platform
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> During developing some application on Cortex-M controller I realized that is
> missing some vital components in current version of eCos system (from my
> point of view)  i.e :
[snip]
> 2) Small embedded GUI working directly on display. From my side I propose
> uGFX -> http://ugfx.org/ License seems to be compatible and due its nature
> porting on new platform shouldn't be complicated even for me :) I'm also
> planning to add support and again any kind of comments advices or warnings
> are expecting.
[snip]


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