Re: license info in libstdc++ README

[Florian Weimer <fw at deneb dot enyo dot de>]

* David Turner:

> --- libstdc++-v3/README.orig    Wed Jan  5 13:36:07 2005
> +++ libstdc++-v3/README Wed Jan  5 13:36:20 2005
> @@ -94,3 +94,15 @@
>  In files throughout the system, lines marked with an "XXX" indicate
>  a bug or incompletely-implemented feature.  Lines marked "XXX MT"
>  indicate a place that may require attention for multi-thread safety.
> +
> +libstdc++ itself is licensed under the terms of the GPL with the
> +following exception, which permits ordinary use of libstdc++ in
> +proprietary software:
> +   As a special exception, if you link this library with files
> +   compiled with a GNU compiler to produce an executable, this does
> +   not cause the resulting executable to be covered by the GNU General
> +   Public License.  This exception does not however invalidate any
> +   other reasons why the executable file might be covered by the GNU
> +   General Public License.
> +
> +The testcases are under the plain GPL.

Is this really true?  The actual exception is a bit broader:

// As a special exception, you may use this file as part of a free software
// library without restriction.  Specifically, if other files instantiate
// templates or use macros or inline functions from this file, or you compile
// this file and link it with other files to produce an executable, this
// file does not by itself cause the resulting executable to be covered by
// the GNU General Public License.  This exception does not however
// invalidate any other reasons why the executable file might be covered by
// the GNU General Public License.