My only complaint about Python

[Robert Kern]

Tim Daneliuk wrote:

[snip]

> It is "derivative" in the sense that the final binary may either contain
> and/or depend upon library support shipped with the gcc compiler chain.

Yes, the final binary *may* depend on any number of libraries either 
distributed with gcc or completely independent from gcc. The license of 
those libraries have an effect on your program. The license of gcc does 
not. gcc does not have to use glibc as the standard C library. For 
example, the cygwin distribution of gcc uses their own newlib 
(GPL+exception, I believe) and mingw uses Microsoft's MSVCRT. gcc can 
also target the native libc on other systems. Or, if you provide your 
own C runtime or do not need one, then there are no license problems.

I repeat, it is the license of the libraries that affects your program, 
not the license of gcc.

> IIRC (and this may have changed - I have not looked at it in some time),
> even the Lesser GPL places some constraints about what you _must_ 
> distribute
> (or be willing to provide) when you use their libs to produce a shipped 
> product.

So can the licenses, proprietary or otherwise, of any other library any 
compiler might link to.

-- 
Robert Kern
rkern at ucsd.edu

"In the fields of hell where the grass grows high
  Are the graves of dreams allowed to die."
   -- Richard Harter