[oc] Question about core licensing

[Steve Wilson <stevew@intrinsix.com>]

I work for an ASIC design company, and in that capacity I have recently
been in the market for IP cores. One of the issues that stopped me from
looking at opencores.org was one of licensing. 

>From your web site: "Currently it is responsibility of OpenIPCore
project to define design methodologies suitable for open source hardware
projects and licenses that would be more suitable than GNU GPL or GNU
LGPL." 

My first question: Have you defined that license? 

The problem I would have as a commercial entity with GPL is it would
seem that I would need to reveal the rest of the IP in my chip if I
created an ASIC using an "open" core. I would imagine that a verilog
gate level netlist is very much like a linked program? Since I'm in the
business of designing IP for customers that the customer owns after I'm
done, this becomes an issue.  Do I mis-understand something here?  

Is it part of your mission to provide everyone use of your cores
including commercial users?

Lastly, I would suggest that when/if you folks figure out the licensing
issue make a prominent place on your web page. Certainly that was one of
the first things I was looking for...though I like the selection of IP
you folks are working on as well.

Steve Wilson