Re: Apple platforms

[Bruno Haible]

Jeffrey Walton wrote:
> On Apple platforms, when targeting specific devices like AppleTV, you
> should include Apple's <TargetConditionals.h>.
> 
> You will also need <TargetConditionals.h> to determine platform
> support for function calls like fork(). Not all Apple platforms
> provide fork and friends.

In GNU, we don't write software for Apple devices that put the users
into a jail. I think iOS devices are in this category; AppleTV and
AppleWatch probably as well.

The GPLv3 has provisions to legally disallow some of the GNU code on
such devices. The fact that we distribute parts of gnulib under other
licenses (such as LGPLv2+) does not mean that we endorse such practices
by Apple.

Compared to this, the fact that iOS does not have a file system in the
sense of POSIX - and therefore makes large parts of gnulib inapplicable -
is only a "minor" technical issue.

Bruno