Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ukma!nrl-cmf!ames!oliveb!sun!thetone!swilson
From: swilson%thetone@Sun.COM (Scott Wilson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Questions on NeXT machine (GNU license)
Message-ID: <74704@sun.uucp>
Date: 26 Oct 88 04:13:17 GMT
References: <17780@glacier.STANFORD.EDU> <[9.5]karl@ddsw1.alt.next> <25146@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> <12935@oberon.USC.EDU> <25427@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> <25605@bu-cs.BU.EDU> <4004@encore.UUCP> <4117@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Sender: news@sun.uucp
Reply-To: swilson@sun.UUCP (Scott Wilson)
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mountain View
Lines: 35

>>>1) if you compile a program, with or without GCC, that has any GNU
>>>source merged with it, including linking in any GNU library object
>                                                  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>>code, the entire program is covered by the GNU PUBLIC LICENSE.  If you
>>>don't like this, find other non-GNU code to use.
>
>If this is indeed true, and if the GNU C compiler is the primary
>compiler for the NeXT system, this seems to mean that in effect,
>_no_ software developed on the NeXT computer may be sold, or even given
>away without source!
>
>Is this really true?  If so, I sure hope that Jobs has either written
>a compatible library or is planning on getting another compiler (sniff)
>Real Soon Now...
>
>Can we have a FSF expert comment?

(I'm not an expert on anything and don't represent anyone but myself.)

As an example of GCC, when it is used on a Sun GCC produces assembly
code which is (by default) assembled by the native assembler and
linked with the native linker.  What is linked with the output of
the assembler is the native /lib/crt0.o, the native libc.a, and
/usr/local/lib/gcc-gnulib.  The gnulib file appears to be produced
from a 321 line long C file that I assume could easily be replaced
by a vendor, NeXT in this case.  If NeXT uses Mach then (as I understand
it) libc.a and crt0.o are either from Mach or from 4.3BSD.  Just because
GCC may be the compiler for the NeXT box does not mean that is also the
source of libraries.


--
Scott Wilson		arpa: swilson@sun.com
Sun Microsystems	uucp: ...!sun!swilson
Mt. View, CA