Re: Licences

[Kilgallen@SpamCop.net (Larry Kilgallen)]

In article <87ach6ecah.fsf@ludovic-brenta.org>, Ludovic Brenta <ludovic@ludovic-brenta.org> writes:
> Martin Dowie <martin.dowie@btopenworld.com> writes:
>> Marco wrote:
>>> It seems that a BSD style open source Ada runtime library needs to
>>> be created (compiled with GNAT).  But is there enough steam left in
>>> the Ada community to support this endeavour?  AdaCore obviously
>>> needs to force it's hand to stay in business and it can't
>>> discriminate between the small fry and the large aerospace giants
>>> which actually buys it's products.
>>
>> I can kind of understand where AdaCore are coming from...
>>
>> ...on one hand the GPL is ultimately what 'Free' Software is all about, 
>> isn't it? And when you hear of companies sticking satellites into space 
>> using GNAT _3.15p_ then there is clearly revenue there that they are 
>> just not getting (and need as much as any other business).
> 
> OTOH, such companies would be perfectly happy with GNAT GPL 2005
> Edition, since they don't really distribute their software to anyone -
> they just dispatch it, physically, into orbit :)

No, most of them transfer it to the US Government, who do the launch.
Most space companies do not launch their own product.