Re: Apple, iPhone, and GPLv3 troubles

[Ian Lance Taylor <iant at google dot com>]

"Yuhong Bao" <yuhongbao_386@hotmail.com> writes:

> Off-topic, but I feel this is important, since Apple contributed to gcc, and
> it is licensed under GPLv3 now.
> In particular, this was inspired by this thread on the gcc mailing lists:
> http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2008-02/msg00520.html
> Notice that I CCed an Apple-internal email address extracted from this
> thread
> in an attempt to get attention from someone at Apple.
> If you are wondering what the issue is here, it is related to Apple, GPLv3,
> and the iPhone.
> It started back when by coincidence the GPLv3 and the iPhone was released on
> the same day, and got worse with the 3G iPhone. Here is some links:
> http://www.fsf.org/iphone-gplv3
> http://www.fsf.org/news/iphone-is-incompatible-with-free-software
> http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/why-free-software-and-apples-iphone-dont-mix
> http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/5-reasons-to-avoid-iphone-3g
> http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/apple-challenge
>
> IMO, there are no easy fixes unfortunately because I feel this issue is as
> philosophical as it is technical.
> I still hope it can be solved, maybe by a meeting between FSF and Apple.
> And no, I can't think of any cases where Apple is actually violating
> the GPLv3,
> but it is clearly causing trouble for Apple.
> BTW, the GPLv2 has none of the clauses that cause the trouble Apple is
> facing with the GPLv3 and the iPhone, so it is OK.

1) This is offtopic.

2) You didn't say what the problem is.  I certainly can't figure it
out from the links you posted.

3) You didn't say how we can help fix the problem, whatever it is.

Please do not follow up to this mailing list, unless you get on topic.
This is not a mailing list for general FSF issues.  This is a mailing
list for the development of GCC, which happens to be an FSF project.
Thanks.

Ian