Andrew Haley wrote:
>
> But as you know, most gcc ports are never contributed anyhow.
Sure, but they are still free software: if the compiler gets
distributed, so does its source code. Of couse, assigning copyright
to FSF is nice, but freedom is much more important.
Oh I fully understand that now. So most GCC ports are GPL-ed but outside
FSF source tree. Hence, a plugin machinery (including for backends)
would make this easier!
I also expressed (orally) the concern (at previous GCC summit, Ottawa
july 2007) that getting the copyright assignment signed is a lot of work
in some organizations and I would hope that the FSF might consider
making it easier (I don't know exactly how, as a non lawyer I would
dream of simple GPLed contributions, with the copyright owner giving the
FSF the right to sue on its behalf, ...) but apparently it is not a
concern.
I still believe that GCC needs more developers, and attracting them
could be a concern.
--
Basile STARYNKEVITCH http://starynkevitch.net/Basile/
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