Re: FSF libgnat

[Ludovic Brenta <ludovic@ludovic-brenta.org>]

Björn Persson <spam-away@nowhere.nil> writes:
> Ludovic Brenta wrote:
>> Stanislav Tsekhmistroh <stas@kometalab.com.ua> writes:
>>>Can anyone tell me, what are the condition for using FSF version of
>>>libgnat?
>> - distribute the sources to libgnat, or point people to these
>>   sources, with your program.
>
> I *think* you only need to provide the sources if you distribute
> Libgnat as such. If you distribute a program that merely uses
> Libgnat, then I think you don't have to provide any sources, because
> of the special exception.

Linking libgnat into your program, whether statically or dynamically,
causes parts of it to be incorporated into your program (and, indeed,
causes your program to be a "work based on" libgnat, in GPL parlance).
Your program does not have to be GPL (by special permission), but
libgnat keeps its license, and that license requires that you provide
or offer to provide the sources of libgnat.

>>   If you modify libgnat, you must publish the modified sources of
>>   libgnat.

I'd like to rephrase this: you don't have to publish anything; but if
you distribute your program in binary form to person A, then you must
also give the source code of libgnat to person A, even if you modified
this source code.  You don't have to post the modified sources to a
web site if you don't want to.

> Unless you only use the modified Libgnat "internally" within your
> company or similar.

Correct.  The license only applies if you distribute your program.
But I think that the OP was interested in conditions that apply when
distributing his program.

-- 
Ludovic Brenta.