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From: mike@hpfcso.HP.COM (Mike McNelly)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: Re: Why perl can't ship as HP/Apollo base software
Message-ID: <9330003@hpfcso.HP.COM>
Date: 13 Jul 90 22:55:21 GMT
References: <4b8c2cb1.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Lines: 42

> In article <4b8c2cb1.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM>, carlton@apollo.HP.COM (Carlton B. Hommel) writes:
> > I've spent several hours over the past few weeks, trying to get perl included as
> > part of the next base software release.  It won't happen, for the following
> > reasons.
> > 
> > 1.  The GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
> >     Our legal department has explicitly told R&D that they are not allowed to do
> >     anything with any program that got anywhere near this document.  While I don't
> >     want to start a flame war about GNU, our lawyers feel it is too full of holes,
> >     and is just an court challenge waiting to happen.  This is not a reflection on
> >     Larry; I discussed potential ways around it with him.  Heck, we aren't even
> >     allowed to use GNU utilities (gcc, bison, ...) to produce binaries for product
> >     shipment.
> > 
> I think the GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE does *NOT* prohibit HP/Apollo from 
> distributing perl with DOMAIN/OS. Quite on the contrary, the FSF explicitly say
> that companies should ship this stuff with their software. Of course, 
> WITHOUT BILLING THE CUSTOMERS. 
> I think I remember having read somewhere that OSF want to make GNU cc their
> `official' compiler? How will HP/Apollo follow this if the lawyers hate 
> the GNU License? 
> 
				> bye,
					> mike
       > ____  ____
      > /   / / / /   Michael K. Gschwind             mike@vlsivie.at
     > /   / / / /    Technical University, Vienna    mike@vlsivie.uucp
     > ---/           Voice: (++43).1.58801 8144      e182202@awituw01.bitnet
       > /            Fax:   (++43).1.569697
   > ___/


Sorry, Mike, but large corporations have to deal with real legal
opinions, not yours or mine.  If the lawyers say that's the way it is,
that's the way it is (for us).

What OSF wanted to do for an official compiler is at best hearsay and
probably not real accurate anyway.  OSF is not yet in the mode of
specifying an official compiler.

Mike McNelly
mike%hpfcla@hplabs.hp.com