* Matt Zimmerman ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) [030910 21:50]: > I'm having some difficulty interpreting paragraph 3 of the GPL in this case, > due to the unusual situation of using the Windows executable on a > non-Windows platform. I'll include the paragraph from the GPL verbatim here > for reference: > > | The source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for making > | modifications to it. For an executable work, complete source code means > | all the source code for all modules it contains, plus any associated > | interface definition files, plus the scripts used to control compilation > | and installation of the executable. However, as a special exception, the > | source code distributed need not include anything that is normally > | distributed (in either source or binary form) with the major components > | (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the operating system on which the > | executable runs, unless that component itself accompanies the executable.
> To me, it seems clear that the intent is to allow someone who already has a > build environment, capable of producing "hello world" on their target > platform, to compile the source code. So, if I have a Windows build > environment (or equivalent tools on another platform), I can build the > Windows executable. Or, if I have a Linux build environment, I would have > enough information to try to port it. > > Legally, how does this apply to running a Windows executable using WINE? It > would seem to depend on the interpretation of "the operating system on which > the executable runs". It could either be "the operating system for which > the executable is built" or "the operating system on which the executable is > being run". I would say a third interpretation: "the operating system for which the executable is distributed". However, this interpretation has the problem that it may be legal to distribute executables for use with MS Win*, but not with Linux Wine. (But legalees has often misterious consequences.) However, IIRC there are at least some of the Windows Compilers running on Wine. If we compile using such a compiler, it should be ok (if seeing "Linux Wine" as the OS, and not "Linux"). Cheers, Andi -- http://home.arcor.de/andreas-barth/ PGP 1024/89FB5CE5 DC F1 85 6D A6 45 9C 0F 3B BE F1 D0 C5 D1 D9 0C