New GCC Runtime Library Exception

[Posted January 27, 2009 by corbet]

From:		David Edelsohn <edelsohn-AT-gnu.org>
To:		<gcc-announce-AT-gcc.gnu.org>,<gcc-AT-gcc.gnu.org>
Subject:		New GCC Runtime Library Exception
Date:		Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:43:20 -0500
Message-ID:		<E1LRsu8-0002FN-4G@fencepost.gnu.org>

The GCC Steering Committee, along with the Free Software Foundation
and the Software Freedom Law Center, is pleased to announce the release
of a new GCC Runtime Library Exception.

This license exception has been developed to allow various GCC
libraries to upgrade to GPLv3.  It will also enable the development
of a plugin framework for GCC.

The text of the exception is available at:

  http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gcc-exception.html

We have also published a rationale document and FAQ to help users
understand the exception better.  It is avaliable at:

  http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gcc-exception-faq.html

Happy Hacking!
David Edelsohn
GCC Steering Committee

New GCC Runtime Library Exception

Posted Jan 27, 2009 19:57 UTC (Tue) by JoelKatz (guest, #56349) [Link]

Umm, wow! This makes no sense.

"A Compilation Process is "Eligible" if it is done using GCC, alone or with other GPL-compatible software, or if it is done without using any work based on GCC. For example, using non-GPL-compatible Software to optimize any GCC intermediate representations would not qualify as an Eligible Compilation Process."

Since you are free to modify GCC as you please, and have no obligation to distribute or disclose your changes, how can you ever show that anything was not done using GCC alone?

You want to use something that would otherwise be ineligible? Simply aggregate it into your private copy of "GCC" (which has always been a collection of tools).

What were they thinking? Do they not understand that the freedom to modify, aggregate, and separate are fundamental GPL freedoms?! Does the FSF not understand its own principles?

Wait, what?

Posted Jan 28, 2009 13:32 UTC (Wed) by tbrownaw (guest, #45457) [Link]

The new exception:

"GPL-compatible Software" is software whose conditions of propagation, modification and use would permit combination with GCC in accord with the license of GCC.

GPLv3:

You may make, run and propagate covered works that you do not convey, without conditions so long as your license otherwise remains in force.

Did they perhaps intend "...would permit combination and conveyance with GCC..."?