We have a home nas device based on Rockchip platform. Ubuntu base requires a license for commercial product. I wonder if we could use armbian as rootfs?  

armbian is available as Debian and Ubuntu.

If you only looking for u-boot and Kernel and you choose mainline Kernel - Kernel is GPLv2  U-boot you would have to look up.

Armbian is GPL2 licenced and is a sum of free licence (mainly GPL2) parts. Whatever goes with that. There are a few parts which are not/questionable licence wise: wireless firmware, closed boot loaders in some cases) and (optional but installed by default) iozone package (non-free licence type).

 

Remember that in case you will be using modified/re-branded Armbian, support becomes your problem.

Thank you all.

 

Now I understand that we could do it, if we choose the debian-based version. Also, our company have signed the contract with Rockchip and officially licensed their binaries in uboot and kernel. So there is no problem for distributing all boot loaders and kernels. Armbian has some userspace customizations, If we use them and modify them, we must open source the modification with the same GPL license.

 

For support, we will adopt an image-based system upgrade for average users, who won't log into the system and stay happy with our http service and mobile apps. We will have a test suite and do regression test for each kernel/rootfs image upgrade.  For power users, the image-based upgrade may be switched off and they can log into the system, do whatever they want to do. 

 

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Then, the last question,  if we ship the product with armbian pre-installed, or if we allow users to install armbian by themselves. Could we advertise our product to power users with something like 'powered by armbian' or 'compatible with armbian'? Of course *armbian* with be clearly described as the trademark of armbian foundation (www.armbian.com).

29 minutes ago, Ma Tianfu said:

For support, we will adopt an image-based system upgrade for average users, who won't log into the system and stay happy with our http service and mobile apps. We will have a test suite and do regression test for each kernel/rootfs image upgrade.  For power users, the image-based upgrade may be switched off and they can log into the system, do whatever they want to do. 

 

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Then, the last question,  if we ship the product with armbian pre-installed, or if we allow users to install armbian by themselves. Could we advertise our product to power users with something like 'powered by armbian' or 'compatible with armbian'? Of course *armbian* with be clearly described as the trademark of armbian foundation (www.armbian.com).

 

For your consideration please also take a look at point #6 https://docs.armbian.com/#what-is-supported

 

Branding Armbian is a double-edged sword.. It creates visibility for the project but generates more needs from users by an order of mangitude more than it generates contributions to the project to help it scale and move forward.

 

Point being, the more you contribute to the platform stability on the armbian side, rather than on the side of your images (aka freezing your own kernel builds etc) is more benefitial for armbian.