Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!tcs!nujoizey!gwu
From: gwu@nujoizey.tcs.com (George Wu)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: GNU C++ on ISC2.0.2
Keywords: GNU liscense restrictions
Message-ID: <1542@tcs.tcs.com>
Date: 15 Jan 91 03:13:28 GMT
References: <646@tronsbox.xei.com>
Sender: root@tcs.com
Reply-To: gwu@nujoizey.tcs.com (George Wu)
Followup-To: gnu.misc.discuss
Organization: Teknekron Communications Systems
Lines: 35

In article <646@tronsbox.xei.com>, tron1@tronsbox.xei.com (Kenneth
Jamieson) writes:
|> 	What are the liscence restrictions with GNU C++ to develop
|> 	commercial software ??? I know that it USED to be 100% forbidden
|> 	but someone mentioned that that was going to change ... has it ?????

     It is the FSF's goal to prevent you from making a profit reselling GNU
software (among other things).  Anything you write in standard C++ you can
resell, since your code should be compilable with any C++ compiler.
Anything which uses a GNU library, you cannot (re)sell.  The FSF realizes
this, and has recently published a modified liscensing proposal for
libraries.  The general idea is the FSF would like to make their libraries
something of a standard, which is difficult with so many vendors refusing
to use it.  The new proposal should allow vendors to write code using GNU
libraries.  But the new liscense is still just a proposal.  Wait a month or
two.

|> 	Does this also apply to gnudbm ??

     Dunno.  I suspect it's much like using any GNU utility.  Selling your
own code is no problem.  It's when your deliverable includes an actual
chunk of something the FSF wrote that problems occur.

     Incidentally, I just use GNU stuff from time to time.  I'm not
connected with them.  I'm not a spokesman.  I'm not a lawyer.

							George

PS: Followups to one of the GNU groups. ie. gnu.g++.help or
gnu.misc.discuss.

----
George J Wu                           | gwu@tcs.com or uunet!tcs!gwu
Software Engineer                     | 2201 Dwight Way, Berkeley, CA, 94730
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