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From: wbailey@oracle.com (Bill Bailey)
Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss
Subject: Linking with C libraries.
Message-ID: <1990Jan8.054859.557@oracle.com>
Date: 8 Jan 90 05:48:59 GMT
Sender: news@oracle.com
Reply-To: wbailey@oracle.com
Organization: Oracle Corp
Lines: 26

There has been a lot of posts regarding linking with the GNU C library and
how this causes the whole of your program to fall under copyleft, thanks to
section 2b of the GPL.

Someone just asked me what happens under this related scenario: I pull
GNU program XYZ.c.  I make modifications to it to get it to run on
platform ABC.  I link XYZ with the vendor's supplied C libary in the
process.  Believing fully in the GNU philosophy, I start distributing
XYZ.c with my modifications to whomever wants it.

Then, someone calls me demanding the source to platform ABC's C
library!  After all, section 2b of the GPL requires that I make source
available for "the whole" of my program.  Since the C library came from
platform ABC's vendor, I have never even seen the source and they will
not give it to me.

Granted, this is a bit contrived.  Why would anyone demand the source 
for the C library from me when I obviously do not have it.  Still, I hope
the point is clear: as it exists now, section 2b of the GPL is confusing
and, perhaps, misleading. 

As I have stated before in this Newsgroup, I wish FSF would take a 
clearer stance on this whole issue.  Either allow people to use gcc
and the C library without copyleft restrictions or don't allow either.

-bill