Fwd: RFH: GPLv3

[FX Coudert]

Forwarding an announcement from Mark to the gcc@gcc.gnu.org list.

(On a personal note, I think it looks like some more effort is going  
to be diverted from making GCC a great compiler into educating the  
people out there to this weird new version number change.)


> The GCC SC is still discussing a few of the finer points of the
> transition to GPLv3.
>
> However, here are the things that have now been decided:
>
> 1. The compiler proper (e.g., files used only in cc1, cc1plus, the
> driver, etc.) should all be converted to GPLv3 ASAP.
>
> Will someone (or someones) please volunteer to change the various  
> files
> that mention GPLv2 to mention GPLv3 instead, to change the COPYING  
> file
> in the gcc/ directory, and to look for other things that need to  
> change?
>
> 2. GCC 4.2.1 will be the last GPLv2 release.  The FSF will permit
> backports from mainline to GCC 4.2.1, if necessary, to be downlicensed
> to GPLv2, as part of that release.
>
> 3. After GCC 4.2.1 is released, we will renumber the branch to GCC  
> 4.3.
>   What would have been GCC 4.2.2 will instead be GCC 4.3.3, to try to
> emphasize the GPLv3 switch.  The GCC mainline will then be GCC 4.4.
>
> It has not yet been decided what to do about files that are part of
> run-time libraries and are covered by GPL/LGPL + exception.   
> Therefore,
> no changes to
>
> It has also not yet been decided whether backports of bug-fixes from
> GPLv3 versions of GCC to older GPLv2 versions of GCC (e.g., GCC 4.1)
> will result in the patched compilers being GPLv3.  If you have  
> thoughts
> about that, you might wish to contact the FSF.
>
> Thanks,
>
> -- 
> Mark Mitchell
> CodeSourcery
> mark@codesourcery.com
> (650) 331-3385 x713