Re: Ada 95 based RTOS

[Robert Dewar <robert_dewar@my-deja.com>]

In article <x7v7lfvt811.fsf@pogner.demon.co.uk>,
  Simon Wright <simon@pogner.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> IANAL but seems to me that if I were to base my code on the
> GNAT sources it would definitely come under the GPL. However,
> if I just use functionality provided by the GNAT sources,
> that's a different matter.

That's incorrect.

First, if you modify the GNAT sources for your own use, they
definitely do not need to be licensed to anyone but yourself,
and your modifications can be kept entirely to yourself under
whatever restrictions you like. It is only if you decide to
distribute the sources that they would be covered by the GPL
since otherwise your distribution of the modified sources
would violate the original copyright.

Second, if you merely write new modules using the same interface
as GNAT, then there is definitely no restriction. For instance
there is nothing to stop someone providing a proprietary
replacement for the GNAT runtime library.

As for TopLayer, I think the eventual intention is for them
to distribute what they do under the GPL or modified GPL, but
they are not yet at that point in their development as I
understand the situation. of course you have to check with them
to get the definitive story!

Robert Dewar
Ada Core Technologies


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