Re: GNAT GPL Edition Maintenance and Upgrades

[Simon Wright <simon@pushface.org>]

"Jeffrey R. Carter" <spam@spam.com> writes:

> Simon Wright wrote:
>
>> I don't understand. Are you saying that distributing an executable
>> affects the source code it is built from? Your source code (which you
>> would of course distribute with the executable) is what it always was
>> and its GMGPL licencing is clearly compatible with the GPL (it adds
>> rights). So the person you distribute to only has to recompile with a
>> different compiler; where's the problem?
>
> The GPL is quite clear that a program that uses GPL code in any way
> falls under the GPL. If the run-time library is GPL code, then any
> program that uses the run-time library is GPL.

No, it is not GPL, it must be released under the terms of the GPL. I
suppose there might be an argument that a person who distributes a
binary that mixes GPL code and the Booch Components (which are GMGPL)
would have to make available the BC sources under GPL terms, but the
recipient could always come back to me and ask for a fresh copy under
GMGPL. Or indeed any other terms (they would fail, probably, because
it's not just my copyright in there, the other authors would have to
agree too). I just think this is all FUD.

From the Libre site --

Q I would like to release my software under the XYZ license, which is
a Free Software license according to the FSF, but is incompatible with
the GPL. What should I do?

A The GNAT GPL Edition doesn't limit in any way the license you use on
your sources. If you are distributing sources only, no issue with
respect to the license of GNAT GPL Edition arises. You or anyone who
wants to build a binary can do so freely from these sources, using
either the GNAT GPL compiler or any other suitable Ada compiler.  If
you want to *distribute* a binary of your program compiled with the
compiler in the GNAT GPL Edition then *today* the binary must be
licensed under the GPL. Note that you can still license a copy of your
sources under the XYZ Free Software license of your choosing.  It is
AdaCore's intention to work with the FSF to modify the licensing of
the GNAT GPL Edition to allow the use of other Free Software licenses
for binaries produced with the compiler inside the GNAT GPL
Edition. Meanwhile, you can distribute in source form only.