Re: How available is 'freely available' ?

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

"flupp" <philippe.bertin@telenet.be> writes:
> Thank you for your answer. Another (call it 'follow-on') question
> based upon your answer, is : can I use AdaCore's GtkAda as a (GPL)
> binding over GTK (which itself is LGPL'd), in a compiled commercial
> program (supposed I don't link in any other GPL libraries, but
> eventually still might link in GMGPL or LGPL libraries) ?

GtkAda comes as part of GNAT GPL 2005 Edition under the pure GPL, so
if you distribute binaries linked with it, you must do so under the
GPL and provide your source code to your customers.

Or, you can get GtkAda as part of GNAT Pro under GNAT-Modified GPL.

Or, you can get it in source-only form under the GNAT-Modified GPL
from AdaCore's CVS repository.

Or, you can get it in source and binary form, under the GNAT-Modified
GPL, as part of Debian GNU/Linux or from gnuada.sourceforge.net.

> I agree on your point that my best bet would most probably be to use
> a commercial GNAT Pro, but to pay (uselessly) for something that may
> eventually be free (not breaking any other rules) would not be
> bright neither, would it ?

As Jeffrey said, you would be getting support in return for your
payment.  In addition, you would receive one very valuable service:
packaging.  With GNAT Pro, you would receive all the libraries you
care about, packaged, precompiled and ready-to-use on all the
development platforms you care about.

If you go for Debian, then you get the same service but on only one
platform.

If you go for http://gnuada.sourceforge.net, you will receive the same
service on several platforms (but Windows is not one of them).  You
can even choose between the GPL and the GMGPL.

If you choose to "use the source, Luke", then you will have compile
and package everything on all the platforms you need.  You will also
have to decide how you want to package everything (your program and
the libraries) for use by your customers.

-- 
Ludovic Brenta.