EtherCAT supports Linux and Open Source
ETG has in the past and continues to support EtherCAT Technology within open source systems with ease of access and low cost to access the Technology – master technology licenses remain free of royalties. At the same time, ETG makes all efforts to provide a pleasant user experience with EtherCAT by protecting interoperability and conformity of EtherCAT devices through technology compliance and license requirements.
EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) and Beckhoff support the application of EtherCAT within shared source or Open Source systems since introducing the technology. Backed by the standardization of EtherCAT by IEC, ISO and SEMI, access to EtherCAT Technology is available to everyone based on non-discriminatory terms. Additionally, Master Technology Licenses are free of royalties. The ETG ensures that maintenance and all further development of the technology is available to all users by membership within the ETG, the user group for EtherCAT Technology. These conditions, created by licenses and ETG rules, are maintained to protect the conformity and interoperability of user applications of the technology.
No additional regulations apply for specific user groups (such as users or manufacturers of shared or open source systems), everybody benefits from the same principles outlined above. All users of EtherCAT Technology are invited to expose their suggestions and experience with EtherCAT within the respective working groups of the ETG to foster the further development of EtherCAT within the EtherCAT community.
The Licensor of the EtherCAT Technology, Beckhoff, and the ETG continue to support third parties desiring to use and publish compatible EtherCAT masters with published or shared source or Open Source licenses by offering everybody the same, unaltered, non-discriminatory License to use EtherCAT Technology, as always for all existing publications of EtherCAT Masters. All copyright to code, as is published or will be published, is with the creators of such code, not with Beckhoff or the ETG.