Re: Wonka & Classpath

[Andy Walter]

Hi Chris,

On Sunday 10 November 2002 15:57, Chris Gray wrote:
> However it still seems to me that GPL+exception excludes the possibility of
> binary-only distributions, something which we do not wish to exclude.
> Admittedly there seems to be little reason why a systems integrator would
> need to make proprietary modifications to a core package such as java.awt
> (as opposed to wonka.rudolph.peers), but still I can imagine cases where
> the GPL would impose on the system integrator the obligation to provide
> source code to anyone who asked.  Perhaps Andy of Aicas can explain why
> this is not a problem for them?

Sure. As far as I understood the license, the (modified) source code of the 
standard library must be provided, but *not* the source code of independent 
programmes, such as the VM or any programme that just runs on top of the VM + 
classpath. To be sure, I asked Dave Turner (the "copyright clerk" of FSF) 
about this and he acknowledged it.

We intend to publish modifications of the standard classes anyway, so this 
restriction doesn't really bother us.

Do you think we have overlooked something?


Cheers,

        Andy.

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