Cheapest way to Unix program developement

Peter da Silva peter at ficc.uu.net
Tue Jan 16 03:34:03 AEST 1990


> Yes, please do read the GNU copyleft. Then you will realise that Mr Andersson
> has not done so and is writing a lot of nonsense. This kind of inflammatory
> statement keeps coming up time and time again about GNU software. You do 
> not have to give away your programs at all. All that is required is that if
> you make enhancements to the _GNU_ programs (gcc, gas, etc.) you can
> not make them proprietary. 

The following is from the GPL. Emphasis is mine.

|  2. You may modify your copy or copies of GNU CC *OR ANY PORTION* of it,
|and copy and distribute such modifications under the terms of
|Paragraph 1 above, provided that you also do the following:

...

|    b) cause *THE WHOLE OF ANY WORK* that you distribute or publish,
|    that in whole or *IN PART* contains or is a derivative of GNU CC or
|    any part thereof, to be licensed at no charge to all third
|    parties on terms identical to those contained in this License
|    Agreement (except that you may choose to grant more extensive
|    warranty protection to some or all third parties, at your option).

...

|Mere aggregation of another unrelated program with this program (or its
|derivative) on a volume of a storage or distribution medium does not bring
|the other program under the scope of these terms.

> For heaven's sake, guys. The only real difference between gcc and anyone
> else's C compiler is that you don't have to pay for gcc and you get source.

This is not true, *IF* you include any library routines covered under the
GPL, and if linking with a library is not considered "Mere aggregation...
on a volume of storage". Various people associated with the FSF have stated
that linking is not "mere aggregation", therefore you can't use any GNU
libraries if you want to retain control over the distribution of your code.

Which is all the original poster was saying. Not "don't use GCC". But
"be aware of the pitfalls".

> FINALLY. Read the copyleft yourself. If you have a problem with it,
> don't use FSF programs.

Seconded. To be quite sure what it means, get someone from the FSF to
tell you. You can find out who's likely to be helpful by seeing who posts
to the GNU.* groups.
-- 
 _--_|\  Peter da Silva. +1 713 274 5180. <peter at ficc.uu.net>.
/      \
\_.--._/ Xenix Support -- it's not just a job, it's an adventure!
      v  "Have you hugged your wolf today?" `-_-'



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