evan@telly.on.ca (Evan Leibovitch) (10/10/89)
I was involved in a system evaluation which involved, among other
systems, the Data General Aviion 5100. This is based on the Motorola
88000 and is appearently a pretty new model.
During the selection process, I had to compile benchmark software on all
the systems. I was intrigued by Data General's seeming dependence on the
GNU C compiler as its production compiler.
The GCC is listed in Data General documentation as a DG product,
complete with product number. It is the only C compiler shipped with the
system, as the Green Hills compiler is an extra cost option.
Nowhere in the DG docs (I looked) included the FSF General Agreement or
any copyright/copyleft information separate from DG's own legalese. I do
recall that the GCC source code was available for no charge if the user
requested a tape of 'contributed software' from DG (which, I believe,
contains some other freely-distributable software).
But nowhere did I see explicit allowance for copying of the GCC or its
libraries.
The DG documentation alluded that DG had made 'improvements' on the GCC
code. I do not know whether the source for such improvements was either
made available in source or offered to the FSF.
I am curious. Has Data General made any contribution to the FSF in thanks
for allowing DG get away without developing its own compiler? Does the DG
system use GNU or AT&T libraries (if GNU, then I assume the compiled
binaries are subject to copyleft).
Moreover, does the above use of GCC (supplied as a manufacturer's
product, without the accompanying copyleft information) constitute a
misuse of the software? Can the FSF cripple the Aviion project by
prohibiting such use? Was it prudent for DG to make GCC the primary
compiler rather than an option?
--
Evan Leibovitch, Sound Software, located in beautiful Brampton, Ontario
evan@telly.on.ca / uunet!attcan!telly!evan
Canada could have enjoyed: English government,French culture,American know-how;
Instead we ended up with: English know-how,French government,American culture.andrew@frip.WV.TEK.COM (Andrew Klossner) (10/10/89)
[]
"Nowhere in the DG docs (I looked) included the FSF General
Agreement or any copyright/copyleft information separate from
DG's own legalese ... The DG documentation alluded that DG had
made 'improvements' on the GCC code. I do not know whether the
source for such improvements was either made available in
source or offered to the FSF."
It has, it was, they do.
I have been working with Michael Meissner (meissner@dg-rtp.DG.COM), who
has done the work of bringing GCC-88k up to production quality. It has
always been his intention to comply fully with the copyleft. He
prodded DG's lawyers into signing the appropriate paperwork; he has
been returning his modifications to rms (and posting bug reports to the
lists); and he maintains the latest archive in ~ftp/pub/gnu at site
dg-rtp.dg.com (inet number 128.222.1.2.)
As further evidence of DG's good faith, he has regularly distributed
his work-in-progress to us at Tektronix, nominally a direct competitor
of theirs.
If the copyleft license is missing from the Aviion package, I'm sure
it's because of a documentation/packaging oversight, not because of any
malicious intent.
"Does the DG system use GNU or AT&T libraries (if GNU, then I
assume the compiled binaries are subject to copyleft)."
What GNU libraries? The only interesting one I know of is libg++,
which is only a candidate if you distribute a G++ compiler. As far as
I know, DG doesn't yet.
-=- Andrew Klossner (uunet!tektronix!frip.WV.TEK!andrew) [UUCP]
(andrew%frip.wv.tek.com@relay.cs.net) [ARPA]m5@lynx.uucp (Mike McNally) (10/10/89)
evan@telly.on.ca (Evan Leibovitch) writes: >I am curious. Has Data General made any contribution to the FSF in thanks >for allowing DG get away without developing its own compiler? Does the DG >system use GNU or AT&T libraries (if GNU, then I assume the compiled >binaries are subject to copyleft). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Huh? Compiled binaries, linked with (hypothetically) DG's own library, subject to (sounds sorta negative; how about "blessed by") copyleft? If my confusion demonstrates unforgiveable ignorance, then unforgive me. -- Mike McNally Lynx Real-Time Systems uucp: {voder,athsys}!lynx!m5 phone: 408 370 2233 Where equal mind and contest equal, go.