"GNU" and Ada

[Florian Weimer]

Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:

[Criteria for GNU.*]

> We should use a very simple criterion: only official GNU packages
> can have a GNU.* name.

Unfortunately, the last time I checked, there wasn't any instructions
how to create an official GNU package, so this is just shifting the
problem.

> If something is free software but not a GNU package, we can use it
> and recommend it, but it should not have a name which suggests it is
> a GNU package.

What about (Ada) packages interfacing to free software which is not
published as a GNU package?  In addition, it would be nice if the
packages in the GNU.* hierarchy would follow the coding standards
pioneered by the GNAT compiler.

> Are we actually in a position to decide which packages can have
> a GNU.* name?

We could tamper with the GNAT compiler to compile only GNU.* packages
which have got the appropriate license text at the beginning, or a
start.

(Just kidding.)

> Will those people releasing non-free "GNU.*" packages listen to us?

At least to me, they don't (although I protested in just one case).