Re: (libffi) Re: Copyright issue

[Thomas Heller <theller at python dot net>]

Andrew Pinski <pinskia@physics.uc.edu> 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" <rasky@develer.com> 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