Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ucbvax!hplabs!hp-pcd!hplsla!glenne
From: glenne@hplsla.HP.COM (           Glenn Engel)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: GNU software rights (was Re: general class definitions)
Message-ID: <6590061@hplsla.HP.COM>
Date: 4 Aug 88 18:04:40 GMT
References: <24158@bu-cs.BU.EDU>
Organization: HP Lake Stevens, WA
Lines: 38

>Likewise, making the source code of the g++ compiler freely sharable is a
>great idea, but making all code COMPILED with it necessarily sharable will
>seriously limit its acceptance.  For instance, I work for a commercial
>company and, despite how RMS feels about it, we do NOT give away everything
>we do.  I would like to use g++ for a few things, but I can't do any more
>than play with it as a toy because its use would compromise the ownership of
>what my company feels (right or wrong) is its property.

It is my understanding from talking to RMS and some legal types that simply
using g++ to compile your source code does NOT place any restrictions on
the resulting binaries.  

The real problem with g++ (from my point of view)
is the issue relating to libg++.  Since the process of using libg++ inherently
pulls in source code into any source using it, you have combined your
source code with source code falling under the GNU General public license
and as such your source code would be subject to it's terms and conditions.
I think the writer of a previous response stated it correctly:

>But there is a solution in between:
>	* apply the GNU license to libg++, so if somebody enhances it, the 
>	  enhanced version is still free
>	* remove the restriction from the software that is linked together
>	  with libg++

and     * remove the restriction from software which includes .h files from
          libg++
>
>I think this approach would increase the use of the GNU compilers, and thus
>expose many more people to the GNU philosophy. 
>
>Jacob Gore				Gore@EECS.NWU.Edu
>Northwestern Univ., EECS Dept.		{oddjob,gargoyle,att}!nucsrl!gore


 |  Glenn R. Engel
 |  Hewlett-Packard 
 |  (206) 335-2066
 |  hplabs!hp-pcd!hplsla!glenne