Re: [OctDev] No symbolic package in future (Windows/VC++) releases

[John W. Eaton]

On 20-Apr-2009, Michael Goffioul wrote:

| On Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 12:52 PM, Kustaa Nyholm
| <address@hidden> wrote:
| > Out of curiosity, would be interesting to understand exactly why this is
| > allegedly violation of GPLv2?
| 
| This paragraph from GPLv2
| 
| ==
| The source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for
| making modifications to it.  For an executable work, complete source
| code means all the source code for all modules it contains, plus any
| associated interface definition files, plus the scripts used to
| control compilation and installation of the executable.  However, as a
| special exception, the source code distributed need not include
| anything that is normally distributed (in either source or binary
| form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the
| operating system on which the executable runs, unless that component
| itself accompanies the executable.
| ==

| In other words, you can link against VC++ runtime libs, but you can't
| include them into an installer for user convenience.

I can't see how the quoted clause implies this restriction.

My understanding is that the quoted clause from the GPL is intended to
allow you to link with "system components" which might be distributed
under GPL-incompatible terms and for which there is no corresponding
source code.  CLN and GiNaC are not system components that are
normally distributed with the major components of any operating
system, so the exception granted by this clause does not apply, so to
link GiNaC and CLN with Octave, it must be possible to distribute all
of the parts under terms that are compatible with the GPL.

Who complained about your method of binary distribution, and why?  The
GPL specifically allows binary distributions provided that you make
the corresponding source code available under the terms of the GPL.

I don't see how it would be a violation of the GPL if you

  link Octave with a library that is distributed under GPL compatible
  terms (GiNaC, CLN, and Octave are all GPL)

  distribute the binary version of the library in some kind of
  installer/package management system

  make the source for everything available along with the binary
  distribution or otherwise make the sources available in another way
  as required by the GPL

If you are providing sources for the parts you distribute, then I
don't see the problem.

jwe