Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!AI.MIT.EDU!tower
From: tower@AI.MIT.EDU (Leonard H. Tower Jr.)
Newsgroups: gnu.gcc
Subject: Free [Software] Foundation
Message-ID: <8906082153.AA06661@wheat-chex.ai.mit.edu>
Date: 8 Jun 89 21:53:04 GMT
References: <80065@ti-csl.csc.ti.com>
Sender: daemon@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Distribution: gnu
Organization: GNUs Not Usenet
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   From: sun-barr!texsun!pollux!ti-csl!m2!holland@rutgers.edu  (Fred Hollander)
   Organization: TI Computer Science Center, Dallas

   In article <8906040445.AA04908@hop.toad.com> gnu@toad.com writes:
   >Apple is free to use, modify, and distribute GCC, and I see no
   >evidence of FSF wishing to modify the GNU Public License to prevent
   >them.  FSF just wants Apple to have to do it all alone -- without help
   >from the supposed friends of FSF -- because Apple is actively working
   >in court to prevent the Foundation from doing what it is chartered to
   >do.

   You must have missed all of Stallman's postings.  He emphatically
   prohibited Apple from posting any messages in this news group, even
   though the postings were strictly in line with the charter of FSF.

Huh, charter?  I'm a Director of FSF and I've never seen the FSF
charter!  You must be referring to some mystical charter you've
created in your head.  From mis-understandings of what the GNU Project
has always been about.

   That is, David Berry, who works at Apple, announced that he ported gcc
   to the Macintosh.  This entire discussion is a result of Stallman
   implicitly changing the GNU Public License so that any organization
   that does not succumb to his political beliefs or does not meet with
   his ideals is not free to participate with FSF.

False.  All rms asked was that info-gcc/gnu.gcc, a forum created and
maintained by FSF, not be used to help Apple.  The forum exists to
further the purposes of the GNU Project, not Apple's.  Apple can still
use GNU software under the terms of the GNU General Public License.

Why Apple?  Re-read gnu@toad.com first paragraph above.

   >A lot of people think that FSF is there to provide them great software
   >for free.  This is not true.

   It is certainly clear now that this is not true.  Why not put the political
   requirements in the charter?

Again what charter?  The GNU Manifesto and GNU General Public License
are both clear about this.  Both have been widely distributed.  Copies
of both are available from gnu@prep.ai.mit.edu.  Why don't you read them.

enjoy -len