[Python-Dev] (libffi) Re: Copyright issue

[Bill Northcott]

On 28/01/2006, at 10:41 AM, Martin v. Löwis wrote:
> You misunderstand the GPL. Section 2b) is pretty clear that any
> application that contains GPL-licensed code must be, itself,  
> distributed
> under the terms ofthe GPL

Quite so, but using the autotools does NOT include any GPL code in  
the resulting program.  So this does not apply.  All that is needed  
is to include in the source distribution a copy of GPL, note that GPL  
applies to some files in the sources and ensure that copyright  
notices at the heads of GPL files are intact.

The compiler needs specific exemptions because parts of the GPLed  
runtime libraries are included in all compiled code.  No part of the  
autotools ends up in the finished code.  If it did, you would need m4  
to run Python and you don't.

Cheers
Bill Northcott