Re: "proprietary", was Re: ada on linux

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

In article <8haraq$k3j$1@pyrite.mv.net>,
  "Jeff Creem" <jcreem@atetola.mv.com> wrote:

> I know in cases I have been concerned about, I have had to
stay away
> from libraries that are pure GPL (not talking about GNAT here)
for my
> projects
> since there are projects where portions of the source code are
classified
> (by
> the government).

Absolutely! An author who decides to use the unmodified GPL
is most definitely making the decision that you CANNOT use
the software in this manner without negotiating a separate
license. And that's the author's right under current
copyright law.

> that if
> some third party approached the company and said that they
wanted a copy
> of program X from us that we would have to give it to them
(but we could charge a fee)..

This is complete nonsense. But it is a VERY common
misconception. The GPL never forces you to distribute
a program. If ACT suddenly decided to make no more public
versions available, that would be perfectly in accord
with the GPL requirements. As I have said many times before
the fact that ACT makes public versions available is not
required by the GPL, it is simply something that ACT decides
to do for the general good of the Ada community.

> Perhaps this is just another misconception..A while back a
> sent e-mail to FSF asking specific
> questions about  the GPL in this and other areas...I got some
> answers but
> the rest of the
> reply said these are hard questions and I got no answers...

There is absolutely NO reason to expect the FSF to provide
you with free legal services. The fact that they did answer
some of your questions is entirely up to them.

> We do of course have our own legal department that could look
at these (and
> has) but
> I am often concerned that they give me answers for what the
believe they can
> get
> away with based on the licenses and not what the original
intent of the
> license is. (again
> another personal belief that is probably wong).

You always have to ask your own lawyers what you can and cannot
do under a license if it is not clear to you!



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