Re: mods for compiling perl && perl common packages

[Ian Lance Taylor <ian at cygnus dot com>]

   From: SL Baur <steve@xemacs.org>
   Date: 02 Aug 1998 03:36:34 -0700

   > Linker is a different story altogether. The GNU binary utilities currently
   > cannot handle MS .lib formats due to a variety of  reasons; again, I have
   > patches, but these *will not* get incorporated since the person who
   > contributed these does not want to assign copyright or sign waiver, but 
   > rather has put them in the public domain.

   What's stopping you?  Public domain basically means anyone can make a
   copy and slap any kind of copyright they wish upon it and even claim
   they wrote it.

   Refusing to integrate public domain sources is stupid (IMO).

The GNU binutils are a GNU tool, and operate under FSF restrictions.
The FSF requires a signed piece of paper for any substantial
contribution.

For these particular patches, we have no legal proof that they are in
the public domain.  The author has stated as much in e-mail, but that
is worthless if he later decides to sue.  For these patches, it would
be adequate if he would sign a simple copyright disclaimer,
essentially equivalent to the comments he has made indicating that the
changes are in the public domain.  However, he has declined to do so.

I believe our only solution for the GNU binutils is for somebody else
to reimplement this work.  This is unfortunate, but it happens from
time to time.  The FSF has faced at least one legal challenge in this
regard in the past, and is naturally anxious to avoid facing another.

Ian