[Python-Dev] VC 7.1 maintenance?

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

>>>>> "Martin" == Martin v Löwis <martin at v.loewis.de> writes:

    Martin> Stephen J. Turnbull wrote:

    >> They must be assuming that the run-time library is "compiler
    >> helper" stuff, eg-but-not-limited-to code to handle long long
    >> ints and set up the C++ exception and global constructors, etc.
    >> So msvcrt should be fine.  The interpretation is that this is
    >> code whose presence is mandated in one form or another by the
    >> language definition.

    Martin> I think the reasoning is different: in order to run
    Martin> software, you need an operating system. It is ok if free
    Martin> software doesn't ship with its own operating system, but
    Martin> if users of the software already have an operating
    Martin> system. Likewise, it is ok if free software doesn't ship
    Martin> with the compiler to compile it - users who want to build
    Martin> the software are expected to obtain a copy of the
    Martin> compiler.

No.  I've never seen either rms or Eben Moglen admit such reasoning
that I know of (of course one or both may have approved the FAQ, but I
don't know that).  The operating system is a _specific_ exception
written into the GPL for those reasons, but that doesn't mean the
logic can be extended to compilers at the licensee's option.

There is never a problem with building GPL sources.  You are always
permitted to do that, and as far as the GPL is concerned, you may link
with anything (although I've heard that some MSFT licenses prohibit
the reverse).  What is restricted by the GPL is _redistribution_ of
the product of linking (which includes source that is "intended" to be
linked).

Thus, under copyright law, the binary may be a derivative of the
runtime library.  Determining that is a delicate matter.  If you ship
only source which does not depend on extensions in the runtime, your
logic is correct.

However, if you distribute Python binaries that require that DLL, your
logic that users already have it if they're going to build Python is
irrelevant.  Isn't distribution of binaries, including the runtime
DLL, what is being discussed here?


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