Re: LPGL (was "GCC2 merging")

[Joe Buck <jbuck at synopsys dot com>]

> 
>     I agree completely.  The LGPL says that an object file that uses large
>     inlines (or, presumably, templates) must be distributed under the terms of
>     Section 6, which says that you must
> 
>     But if the substance of the library is in the form of inlines or templates,
>     this doesn't make any sense, as there isn't anything to link against; it's
>     all emitted into the object code along with the library user's code.
> 
>     I would like to see a variant of the LGPL which does not place any
>     requirements on a "work that uses the Library".  I want to protect the
>     library itself, but have the legal requirements on a program that uses
>     the library be the same as on a program that is compiled with gcc;
>     namely, none.
> 
>     This is necessary for the C++ standard library, to make g++ a viable
>     alternative to proprietary compilers.  This is currently achieved by
>     using the libgcc exception to the GPL, but I would rather have an
>     LGPL-based license so that users are not required to use gcc.
> 
> Users certainly are not required to use GCC for that exception and I
> agree that using the GPL with such an exception is the way to go.
> GNAT's library has been distributed with the following copyright banner,
> which should work perfectly well for tthe case at hand:
> 
> -- GNAT is free software;  you can  redistribute it  and/or modify it under --
> -- terms of the  GNU General Public License as published  by the Free Soft- --
> -- ware  Foundation;  either version 2,  or (at your option) any later ver- --
> -- sion.  GNAT is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITH- --
> -- OUT ANY WARRANTY;  without even the  implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY --
> -- or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License --
> -- for  more details.  You should have  received  a copy of the GNU General --
> -- Public License  distributed with GNAT;  see file COPYING.  If not, write --
> -- to  the Free Software Foundation,  59 Temple Place - Suite 330,  Boston, --
> -- MA 02111-1307, USA.                                                      --
> --                                                                          --
> -- As a special exception,  if other files  instantiate  generics from this --
> -- unit, or you link  this unit with other files  to produce an executable, --
> -- this  unit  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 Public License.                                      --
>