Re: MSVC runtime library license problem

[David Bateman]

address@hidden wrote:
> Hi,
>  
> It just came to my attention that I can't provide MSVC runtime
> libraries with
> pre-built octave, because of the GPL license limitations. Indeed, the
> license
> used for those libs isn't compatible with GPL and they cannot be
> considered
> part of the OS anymore (MSVCRT.DLL was, but MSVCR80.DLL is not),
> so I can't distribute them along with octave.
>  
> As far as I understand, I can still distribute pre-built octave, but
> without the
> runtime libs (the user has to get and install them himself); at least
> this is what
> I read in a README from another GPL package (libiconv).
>  
> This means that
> 1) I'll strip any runtime libs from future package (MSVCR80.DLL, needed by
> octave et al., as well as MSVCR71.DLL, needed by Console2).
> 2) the current available package should be removed from the website
> (David,
> can you remove it?)
>  
> If  appears that I can't distribute pre-built package, even without
> the runtime
> libs (I hope it's not the case), then I'm afraid I'll have to give up
> the whole thing.
>  
> Bye,
> Michael.
>  
This makes no sense... This effectively means that MSVC is useless as no
one can distribute binaries build with it..... How do commercial
developers deal with this? Is this license restriction only on the free
version of MSVC? If so does it go away with a commercial license? If so
I'm for starting a charity to get you a commercial license of MSVC and
be done with it..

Regards
David


-- 
David Bateman                                address@hidden
Motorola Labs - Paris                        +33 1 69 35 48 04 (Ph) 
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