tower@mit-prep.ARPA (Leonard H. Tower Jr.) (05/28/86)
> From: tp@ndm20 > Newsgroups: net.lang > Date: 23 May 86 15:52:00 GMT > Nf-From: ndm20!tp May 23 10:52:00 1986 > > > >4) I have not communicated with GNU directly about it, but their Bison > > program appears to be a Yacc look-alike, without documentation, but > > with hints of enhancements (something about quote semantic_parser > > end-quote). It is explicitly public-domain. This is what I'm actually > > using. > > I don't believe that any of the GNU code is public domain. It is > copyrighted by the Free Software Foundation. There are restrictions > on its use and re-distribution that are designed to ensure that > nobody ever makes any money from it. The restrictions are mainly designed to require you to always make the source code available to anyone you provide GNU derived software to. Project GNU and the Free Software Foundation have no problem with anyone using GNU to make money, as long as the source code is made available. For example, the Foundation maintains and distributes a list of people willing to provide services to users of GNU software (almost always for a fee). People interested in the Services Directory can inquire of <gnu@prep.ai.mit.edu>. > In particular, as per a note by > John Nelson in net.emacs, the parser generated by bison is also > copyrighted by the Free Software Foundation, so you can not use it in > any kind of commercial software. Wrong. A GNU/bison derived parser can be used in commercial software, as long as the buyers of the software, have the source code of the software made available to them. > ... > > Nathan D. Maier Consulting Engineers > (214)739-4741 > Usenet: {seismo!c1east | cbosgd!sun | ihnp4}!convex!infoswx!ndm20!tp > CSNET: ndm20!tp@smu > ARPA: ndm20!tp%smu@csnet-relay.ARPA -- Len Tower Project GNU of the Free Software Foundation UUCP: {}!mit-eddie!mit-prep!tower INTERNET: tower@prep.ai.mit.edu ORGANIZATION: Project GNU, Free Software Foundation, 1000 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA +1 (617) 876-3296 HOME: 36 Porter Street, Somerville, MA 02143, USA +1 (617) 623-7739