How is this GPLv3 + GCC Runtime Library Exception supposed to enable distribution of binaries compiled from GPLv2-only applications? It is an exception to GPLv3, but I don't see how it could excuse distributors from GPLv2 sections 1-3, which AFAIK require source code to be be licensed under GPLv2. There is the operating system exception in section 3 of GPLv2, but it may not apply to GNU/Linux distributions that include both the compiler and the application.
The GCC Runtime Library Exception Rationale and FAQ claim: "Nobody who is currently using GCC should be affected by this change." On the other hand, they do not explicitly mention GPLv2. The GNU C Library version 2.5.1 release announcement included a note that the next non-bugfix version of the C Library would be switching from LGPLv2.1-or-later to a newer LGPL version, I presume LGPLv3 which FSF admits is incompatible with GPLv2. That change seems to have been silently canceled, as GLIBC versions 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, and 2.9 have since been released with the old licence. I get the impression that the GLIBC licence change didn't fly with major libc funders and the FSF is now going to smoke out GPLv2-only software via GCC instead. _______________________________________________ gnu-misc-discuss mailing list gnu-misc-discuss@gnu.org http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss