Re: GNAT GPL Edition Maintenance and Upgrades

[Georg Bauhaus <bauhaus@futureapps.de>]

Samuel Tardieu wrote:
>>>>>>"Jeff" == Jeff Creem <jcreem@yahoo.com> writes:
> 
> 
> Jeff> No. Actually, what it shows is that a large number of developers
> Jeff> are not lawyers and don't understand software licensing so when
> Jeff> licensing terms are brought to the forefront, they get confused
> Jeff> and upset.
> 
> It also shows that AdaCore changed their mind and strategy
> completely. Here is an excerpt of a comp.lang.ada post from Robert
> Dewar (6 May 1999):
> 
> "In fact this is far from a theoretical situation, it is quite fine
>  legally for someone to distribute GPL'ed software for price $x,
>  possibly $0, and charge you a bundle for a separate license that
>  allows you to use the same software in a proprietary context. Indeed
>  it is my understanding (and I apologize in advance if this is an
>  incorrect understanding) that Cygwin is distributed under EXACTLY
>  this split model.
>  
>  One may argue over whether such a distribution model is a good idea
>  (at ACT we prefer a completely clean situation with no such dual
>  licensing, which is why we use the modified GPL for runtime stuff),
>  but it is absolutely 100% consistent with the GPL. Indeed I have
>  heard people argue that it is appropriate, because it gives full
>  access to those writing free software, and penalizes those writing
>  proprietary software, which to some people seems an appropriate
>  situation :-)"
> 
> Note the "at ACT we prefer a completely clean situation with no such dual
> licensing, which is why we use the modified GPL for runtime stuff".
> 
> Well, it looks like the "clean situation" is not the preferred one
> anymore.

Do you have any indication that AdaCore offers software under anything
but GPL or GMGPL? I don't, and I don't think you have. I think there
isn't any.

They use "the modified GPL for runtime stuff", see FSF GNAT. They have
made a new, *additional* offering by packaging tons of software for
"writing free software". They are even considering whether they can
offer terms and conditions for combining software that uses different
open source licenses. (According to the libre web site.)

What makes you think that "AdaCore changed their mind and strategy
completely?"

-- Georg