Re: GPL Interpretation on load [Was: [bug #61594] suggest new $(hash ...) function]

[Paul Smith]

On Wed, 2021-12-01 at 09:33 -0500, rsbecker@nexbridge.com wrote:
> That is understood. Is this an official GNU Make policy because it is
> not specified that way in GPL. Has the GNU Make team modified their
> copy of the GPL license because it is not indicated as a modified
> version?

I'm not sure what you're asking here.  As Eli says, most GNU projects
that provide the ability to load modules like this, have a similar type
of restriction.

I don't see how this goes against the GPL license or would require an
extension or exception to the GPL license.  You, as the user of the
program, have received all your rights under the GPL.  There's nothing
in the GPL that says or implies that the implementation of a program
licensed under the GPL, must allow anything at all to be loaded
regardless of license.

Note that the GPL only applies to distribution, it doesn't apply to
use.  Just creating and using a plugin yourself doesn't mean it has to
also be provided to everyone under a GPL-compatible license. It's only
if you distribute the plugin that the GPL comes into play.  Whether
this is actually legally enforceable is not something I am qualified to
discuss... this is the way the GNU project wants plugins to be handled.

If you want to understand more about the process and philosophy here,
you can read about it in the GCC plugins section (GNU make uses the
same thinking):

https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/Plugin-API.html
https://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/GCC_Plugins