From: John Lindsay <lindsay_j@rmc.ca>
To: Robert Dewar <dewar@merv.cs.nyu.edu>
Subject: Re: Ada 95 - the interpretation of the Gnu 'copy left'
Date: 1997/10/29
Date: 1997-10-29T00:00:00+00:00 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <3457601A.21D8@rmc.ca> (raw)
In-Reply-To: dewar.878102384@merv
Robert Dewar wrote:
>
> John Lindsay <lindsay_j@rmc.ca> writes re GNAT:
>
> > This is one of the Gnu compilers, utilities,
> > etc., is free to use, and the source code is available.
> > But its covered by the Free Software Foundation's famous
> > 'copy left' (as opposed to copyright), and one can't use it
> > for profit without further arrangements;
>
> I find it a bit surprising that John would be confused in this way. This
> is of course quite incorrect. Anyone can use GNAT to build any kind of
> programs at all, proprietary, classified etc. There are no restrictions
> of any kind placed on programs generated by GNAT, and the runtime is
> explicitly licensed in a manner that ensures that no restrictions are
> engendered by the use of this runtime.
>
> Robert Dewar
> Ada Core Technologies
Well, this is good; thanks to Robert and one other who
corrected my understanding. But I read a copy of the
'copy left' some time ago with exactly this question and
a related question - can the Gnu compilers &c. be used to
create software to be distributed at all without also
distributing the whole particular Gnu package used to
create it - in mind. My understanding (incorrect - separate
arrangements needed to use for profit, correct - no need to
redistribute the whole thing) came from that reading.
The copy left is verbose, perhaps necessarily so, and
perhaps it has been reworked since I read it. I wonder if
a short 1-paragraph plain English explanation is needed to
accompany it, not in any way replacing or modifying the
full 'legal' text.
--
All the best !
John H. Lindsay, Assistant Professor,
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE OF CANADA
PO BOX 17000 STN FORCES
KINGSTON ON K7K7B4 CANADA
e-mail: Lindsay_J@RMC.CA
Phone: (613) 541-5010-6419
Fax: (613) 542-8129
next prev parent reply other threads:[~1997-10-29 0:00 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 8+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
1997-10-20 0:00 Ada 95 AlanVPham
1997-10-20 0:00 ` John Lindsay
1997-10-20 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-10-21 0:00 ` Simon Wright
1997-10-29 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-10-29 0:00 ` John Lindsay [this message]
1997-10-29 0:00 ` Ada 95 - the interpretation of the Gnu 'copy left' Robert Dewar
1997-10-31 0:00 ` John H. Lindsay
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