Re: License of m4/ltoptions.m4

[Gary V. Vaughan]

Alexandre Duret-Lutz wrote:
> > > > "Paul" == Paul Eggert <address@hidden> writes:
>
>
> [...]
>
>  Paul> As a special exception to the GNU General Public License, if you
>  Paul> distribute this file as part of a package that uses the file as input
>  Paul> to GNU Autoconf, GNU Automake, or GNU Libtool, then you may distribute
>  Paul> the resulting output files under the same terms that you use for the
>  Paul> rest of the package.
>
> I don't understand the intent of "as input to GNU Autoconf, GNU
> Automake, or GNU Libtool".  AFAICT Libtool does not input m4
> files, only the Autoconf tools and aclocal do.

Just trying to cover all bases to avoid more pain for future autotools
versions.  Note that libtoolize does actually read through aclocal.m4 
and any files it m4_includes to find a few directory paths and decide 
whether to copy particular files.  We might extend that functionality
in future.

The use of GNU Autoconf is to prevent someone creating their
own tool and calling that Autoconf to circumvent the license.


> [[...]]
>
>   As a special exception to the GNU General Public License, if
>   you distribute this file as part of a package that uses the
>   file (or any derived output) as input to generate its
>   configuration script with Autoconf, then you may distribute
>   the file and resulting output files under the same terms that
>   you use for the rest of the package.
>
>
> "configuration script generated by Autoconf" is what the aux
> scripts already use.
>
> "or any derived output" is a lame attempt to allow tools such as
> aclocal (without singling out aclocal) to preprocess the file,
> as long as the intent is to build a configure script.  

I prefer my wording :-)

Bruce's would be kinda cool too.  But frankly, I'd be flabbergasted
is the FSF bought that :-(

Cheers,
        Gary.
--
Gary V. Vaughan      ())_.  address@hidden,gnu.org}
Research Scientist   ( '/   http://tkd.kicks-ass.net
GNU Hacker           / )=   http://www.gnu.org/software/libtool
Technical Author   `(_~)_   http://sources.redhat.com/autobook

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