Re: pthreads

[Stefan Bienert]

Bob Friesenhahn wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Jan 2008, Stefan Bienert wrote:
> > I already found acx_pthread in the autoconf-archive but it has the 
> > wrong license for me. The macro is GPL with an exception on the 
> > product of it. I need somethin BSDish with sort of no limitations in 
> > use...

> It is good to keep these issues in mind:
>
>   * Autoconf's own macros use a somewhat similar license.
>
>   * GPLv2 only restricts copying of the resulting "program".
>
>   * Macros are already in primary source code form and thereby
>     automatically satisfy GPL while they are distributed.
>
> It is true that if the text of this macro is included in your package 
> that it then includes source components which are GPL even if the built 
> package is not GPL.  You might be required to provide notice of that.

OK, now I'm a little bit confused. It is OK to distribute your 
configure.ac with all the macro calls while having your own license on 
the package? I think of macro calls as of calling library functions and 
on that there is no licensing, is it? And for including macro code, 
which is also under GPL, I only need to point it out that it is GPL
macro code? Wait, calling a macro is legally not the same as copying 
code, right? Urk, my head starts aking. Why can't life be as simple as C?

greetings,

Stefan

--
Stefan Bienert
Zentrum fuer Bioinformatik
Universitaet Hamburg
Bundesstrasse 43
20146 Hamburg
Germany

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