Re: why ada is so unpopular ?

["Jeff C," <nolongersafeto@userealemailsniff.com>]

"Marin David Condic" <nobody@noplace.com> wrote in message
news:400BD4B5.6000307@noplace.com...
> I don't know about the Gtk license itself or why GtkAda would have to
> modify it slightly to enable the writing of proprietary software. What I
> gathered by looking at the GtkAda license at least was that one could
> develop an entirely proprietary app that made the Gtk calls through the
> GtkAda binding. If one was doing a Gtk based interface, GtkAda seems
> like the only logical choice (unless one needs Gtk capabilities that
> aren't supported in GtkAda - a problem that all such bindings have and
> an argument as to why Ada ought to have its own GUI.)
>
> It seems the best choice for a semi-portable interface if that is the
> requirement. GPL "infection" does not seem to be an issue AFAICS.
>
> MDC
>
> Preben Randhol wrote:
> >
> > This package is distributed under the GPL license, slightly modified so
> > that you can create proprietary software with this toolkit. The license
> > is actually the same as the GNAT library itself. You should also read
> > the Gtk license itself if you intend to do proprietary software based on
> > gtk and GtkAda.
> >
> >
>

The "read the license part" is just a warning that this software (like
almost
all software) is covered by A license so make sure you understand the
terms before development.


The reason that the GNAT libraries and GtkAda use a modified GPL instead
of an LGPL is that it is difficult  (if not impossible) to comply with the
terms of
the LGPL in Ada (and in many cases C++) with proprietary distribution.

WARNING. NON LAWYER APPROXIMATION OF TRUTH TO FOLLOW

The LGPL requires that you distribute source with your execuables or that
you
distribute your execuables in such a way that the components that are LGPL
can
be updated by the end users (e.g. dynamically link to the LGPL library or
provide .o files for all the proprietary stuff)..This woulld in theory allow
an end user
to fix a bug in the LGPL component (or get a bug fix link library) and
"update"
the program.

The problem in Ada (and actually in other languages) is that there are
pieces of
code that at hard to do this with. If you have and LGPL generic it is
essentially impossible
with GNAT to have that be an LGPL component since the generic expantion
happens
at compile time. Something like this is also true of C++ and to some exent C
header
files.

So the GMGPL is actually a slightly lesser (in RMS speak) language than the
LGPL (meaning
that it does not require the "field upgrade" capability of the LGPL.