From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Thread: 103376,3e26dfa741e64e5f X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII Path: g2news1.google.com!news4.google.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!nx02.iad01.newshosting.com!newshosting.com!newsfeed.icl.net!newsfeed.fjserv.net!newsfeed.freenet.de!tsicnews.teliasonera.com!news.banetele.no!news.szn.dk!news.jacob-sparre.dk!pnx.dk!not-for-mail From: Jacob Sparre Andersen Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: GNAT GPL 2005 Edition is now available Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2005 14:11:27 +0200 Organization: Jacob's private Usenet server Message-ID: References: <1126875543.239666.325290@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <3467d$432b0af1$49956f8$22115@ALLTEL.NET> <87r7bi6e5o.fsf@willow.rfc1149.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: hugin.crs4.it Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: jacob-sparre.dk 1127304687 12618 156.148.71.67 (21 Sep 2005 12:11:27 GMT) X-Complaints-To: sparre@jacob-sparre.dk NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2005 12:11:27 +0000 (UTC) User-Agent: Gnus/5.110004 (No Gnus v0.4) Emacs/21.4 (gnu/linux) Cancel-Lock: sha1:/OtDtMMgT0Nlycrfwj1JEPHQjoE= Xref: g2news1.google.com comp.lang.ada:4994 Date: 2005-09-21T14:11:27+02:00 List-Id: [ I am not a lawyer ] Preben Randhol wrote: > So if I bought support from Adacore (not going to as I personally > only make GMGPL stuff) I could in fact redistribute the GMGPL > compiler? Yes. > Or is there some other contract stopping me from doing it? That contract would mean that AdaCore broke their contract with the copyright holders (i.e. GNU GPL/GMGPL), which basically would either: + invalidate the contract with the copyright holders - and thus prevent AdaCore from using and distributing the code, or + not be valid. So the answer is no. > I mean can Adacore have a contract saying that if the compiler is > redistributed they will not offer support anymore after the period > you have paid for expires? That might be possible, but I suspect that FSF would be happy to pay the cost of disputing such a contract in court. > I'm just trying to understand how one can make a business out of > GPLed stuff... By knowing the code better than your competitors, so people come to you, when they need help with adjusting the code to a specific purpose. Another angle is that whenever I do consulting work, one of the conditions is that the code can be published under an Open Source license (which one is generally up to the costumer). As long as you give your costumers a chance to get first to the market, it seems like they don't find it problematic. Jacob PS: I am not a lawyer - for those who didn't notice it at first. -- �I'm perfectly happy with my current delusional system.� -- Mirabel Tanner