Andrew Pinski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Does phython already use autoconf? I think it does, if so then there > should be no issues.
[Anthony Green] >>> I guess I wasn't clear. aclocal.m4 is just a tool used to build >>> libffi. Like your C compiler. Bundling it with the Python source >>> distribution should have no impact on the licensing of Python >>> itself, since it isn't really part of the resulting Python binary - >>> just like your C compiler isn't. [Thomas Heller] >> I guess I understood this already. The difference to the C compiler is >> that the compiler is not 'bundled' with Python, it is installed >> separately. > "Giovanni Bajo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > That's no different. If you burn a CD containing a copy of the GCC and a > copy of a commercial software you are not violating any license. If you > distribute an .ISO file containing a copy of the GCC and a copy of a > commercial software, you are not violating any license. If you distribute a > .zip file containing a copy of GCC and a copy of a commercial software, you > are not violating any license. > > There is an important difference between aggreggation of different programs, > and static/dynamic linking of parts. Autoconf is a build tool, and it does > not impose any license on the software you use it with. Plus some files have > the special exception from GPL so that even the files *generated* by > autoconf (and partly made of pieces of autoconf) do not require to be GPL. > This is exactly like GCC's runtime library (libgcc, and also libstdc++) > which are GPL with the special exception, and you can use them also for > commercial products. > > Also, do not understimate previous history. There are zillions of programs > out there using Autconf and *not* being GPL. Ok, understood - there is no problem. Hopefully the rest of the pythondev team is also convinced. The only question I have (maybe this is too off-topic, but since we're here already): Nearly all the tools that autoconf and automake use are careful to include an exception clause to the GPL license. Why is aclocal.m4 different? Thomas _______________________________________________ Python-Dev mailing list Python-Dev@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-dev Unsubscribe: http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-dev/archive%40mail-archive.com