From: "John H. 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: 1997/10/31
Date: 1997-10-31T00:00:00+00:00 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <345A076F.322@rmc.ca> (raw)
In-Reply-To: dewar.878175991@merv
I had written:
.... snip ....
> I wonder if
> a short 1-paragraph plain English explanation is needed to
> accompany [the Gnu Public Licence] ....
Robert Dewar replied:
> I don't think a one paragraph summary would be likely to be helpful. I
> think most people understand quite clearly that the issue arises with
> runtime routines only (to think that the GPL somehow covers the *output*
> of the compiler makes no sense at all. ....
[ Robert compared the situation to the use of other (non-compiler)
programs.]
I agree, it makes no sense from my point of view and from others' point
of
view too I say, but restricting the use of the run-time and the compiler
output is possible, and I've seen it done, darn it all.
> .... but the runtime is not under the GPL, due
> to the special exception paragraph:
.... snip ....
> -- As a special exception, if other files instantiate generics from this --
> -- unit, or you link this unit with other files to produce an executable, --
> -- this unit does not by itself cause the resulting executable to be --
> -- covered by the GNU General Public License. This exception does not --
> -- however invalidate any other reasons why the executable file might be --
> -- covered by the GNU Public License. --
.... snip ....
Ahh ! So ! It's not covered. Good. Thanks.
--
John H. Lindsay lindsay_j@rmc.ca
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE OF CANADA
P O BOX 17000 STN FORCES
KINGSTON ON K7K 7B4 CANADA
Phone: (613) 541-5010--6419
Fax: (613) 541-6584
prev parent reply other threads:[~1997-10-31 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 ` Ada 95 - the interpretation of the Gnu 'copy left' John Lindsay
1997-10-29 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-10-31 0:00 ` John H. Lindsay [this message]
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