The aim of the White Rabbit Collaboration is to ensure a high-performance and user-friendly open source technology implementing the IEEE 1588-2019 High Accuracy Profile.
The technology is licensed under different open-source licenses depending on whether we are referring to its hardware, gateware, firmware or software.
The hardware and gateware is licensed under the CERN Open Hardware Licence Version 2 (weakly reciprocal variant). This variant ensures that any modifications made to the licensed technology will remain open source, while extensions around it's periphery are considered external material and can be licensed under any licence or kept as trade secret.
‘External Material’ means anything which:
a) is only combined with the licenced technology in such a way that it interfaces with the licensed technology using a documented interface which is described in the licensed technology; and
b) is not a derivative of or contains the licensed technology, or, if it is, it is solely to the extent necessary to facilitate such interfacing.
Further developing and defining the interfaces between the WR Technology and its periphery will be a key activity of the Collaboration and the subject of discussion between the members. By developing further the WR Technology with support of the Bureau, the latter can guide you in making suitable design decision concerning what functionality to include in the core open source technology and which keep in the periphery.
The firmware and software is licensed under GNU Lesser General Public Licence LGPL version 2.1 or later.