Re: The GPL "Special Exception" and yacc.c

[Hans Aberg]

On 12 Mar 2009, at 16:25, David Wootelhoff wrote:

> Hi, does anyone know the answer to the above question, or have any
> hints about how I might find it?

> I'm unsure if the question is so trivial that no-one is interested in
> answering it, or so difficult that people can't answer it ;)

Probably the former, since you essentially want to prevent folks  
getting access to your code - not that they are any interested in  
it :-).

But copyright by common law interpretation typically only covers  
redistribution of what is creatively unique (check for Beastie Boys  
flute sample case), and it does not belong to those that wrote the  
machines that processed it. Since the output parser does contain some  
handwritten verbatim code, it makes an exception for that (I think).  
It is not possible for GNU to claim copyright for any code you write,  
only put restriction on the redistribution of GNU code. So that might  
suggest you can do it. But check with a lawyer.

  Hans