Re: Licensquestions on GNU Software.

[dewar at gnat dot com (Robert Dewar)]

> Even though GCC doesn't propagate freedom to programs
> it compiles

I really wish people would stop using language like this that is inaccurate
and confusing. It helps fuel the notion that somehow Free Software infects
things with a GPL virus in a way that proprietary software does not, i.e.
that Free Software takes away freedom compared to proprietary software when
of course this is quite false.

Better language would be:

Even though GCC is licensed in a manner that allows programs compiled with
GCC to be freely distributed without any limitations, this may not be true
of other third party libraries, and in particular it is not true for 
Cygwin ....

Yes, I know this is off topic. personally I would be MUCH happier if 
no one attempted to answer people's licensing questions on this list,
but instead referred them to other more appropriate lists. Buf if people
insist on answering, then it would be good for the answers to be accurate.

I really don't see what licensing issues have to do with gcc development,
except when we need to discuss what licensing is required for a particular
unit (something of course that can only be decided by the copyright holder
in any case, i.e. by FSF for GCC).

Other than this case, I think it would  be better if we took the attitude
that people asking about licensing questions are just as off topic as
people asking about how to program in BASIC :-)