Re: Runtime versions (GPL vs Modified GPL)

["Steve" <nospam_steved94@comcast.net>]

"anon" <anon@anon.org> wrote in message 
news:LTmXj.345584$cQ1.268308@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> All programs that are compiled with GNU components are force to GPL 2
> or 3.
>
> Explained in a number of web sites, such as Adacore.  You must use GNAT
> that come with the GMGPL (GNAT modified GPL). These are limited to
> Ada 95 versions compiled and packaged back in the mid 1990s or use the
> pay version (GNAT PRO).  Most archived versions have been updated to
> GPL 2 and GPL 3. Which mean that GNAT Ada 95 and at the movement all
> Ada 2005 compilers (GNAT only) are under GPL 2 or 3, which mean your
> code must be under GPL.
>

This is misinformation.

If you browse the source code repository on gcc.org at:
   svn://gcc.gnu.org/svn/gcc/trunk/gcc/ada/a-textio.ads

In the file header you will find:

-- As a special exception,  if other files  instantiate  generics from 
this --
-- unit, or you link  this unit with other files  to produce an 
executable, --
-- this  unit  does not  by itself cause  the resulting  executable  to 
 be --
-- covered  by the  GNU  General  Public  License.  This exception does 
not --
-- however invalidate  any other reasons why  the executable file  might 
be --
-- covered by the  GNU Public 
         --

This "special exception" is what makes the code at the FSF (free software 
foundataion)  covered by the GMGPL (GNAT modified GPL).

My understanding is:
  If you want to use GNAT to generate code that is not covered by the GPL 
you must either:
    a) Pay AdaCore a bunch of $$$ for GnatPro whis is supported (very well I 
understand)
      -or-
    b) Obtain a distribution from a source other than AdaCore that is built 
using the FSF sources, which is certainly not supported by AdaCore.
      -or-
    c) Completely avoid the use of any Ada run time libraries (which is 
difficult if not impossible to do), in which case you could use the GnatGPL 
edition from AdaCore.

  If you don't care about whether the generated code is covered by teh GPL 
you may use the GnatGPL edition distributed from AdaCore.

Regards,
Steve
(The Duck)


> To know for sure, read the 'license.txt' that comes with GNAT package.
>
> In <0b115c04-ead8-4cec-8867-94ca9632a5b9@w1g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, 
> "jhc0033@gmail.com" <jhc0033@gmail.com> writes:
>>If I install GNAT from Cygwin or my Linux distribution, as part of
>>GCC, is there any way to know for sure which version of the runtime
>>it's using? I wouldn't want to use the one that forces me to GPL my
>>own code.
>