RE: Using GNU Make with LSF

[Nestor Amaya]

Hi Paul,

Platform Computing states that they will provide us only the modified GNU
Make source code, and not the program which GNU Make has been modified to
call - lsmakerm (?). If GNU Make has been modifed to call program X, then
isn't program X considered to be _LINKed_ to GNU Make (i.e. it shouldn't
matter whether this is done statically, dynamically, as a thread, whatever?)

Given my layman's interpretation of _LINKING_, isn't this in violation of
the GPL?

Cheers,

Nestor

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul D. Smith [mailto:address@hidden
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2001 11:25 AM
To: Nestor Amaya
Cc: 'Help-Make (E-mail)'
Subject: RE: Using GNU Make with LSF


%% Nestor Amaya <address@hidden> writes:

  na> LSF's make tool is licensed under "FlexLM". This means that it is
  na> node-locked, so we have to pay for every machine that it runs on
  na> (+30 in our case).  Furthermore, they have not provided us with
  na> the source code (although we have not yet requested it).

If you haven't asked, then they aren't (yet) in violation of the GPL.
They aren't required to give you the source up-front (they can, but
don't have to).  But, they must provide it for no more than a reasonable
copying fee if you request it, up to three years after the binary
distribution was made available.

Note that if they are linking GNU make with some kind of FlexLM library,
The GPL requires that they must provide you with the complete source to
that library as well, and it must be provided under the terms of the
GPL.  Anything that they _LINK_ with the GNU make binary must be
provided under the GPL (except system libraries, like libc).

  na> Perhaps you can point me to the GPL, and I can have a look to see
  na> if they are in violation of it. If so, what should I do next? I
  na> don't want to see LSF profit from the work of people like you.

The GPL comes with every GNU program.  You can find the complete text in
the GNU make source, at <ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/make/>, or you can find
it easily at the FSF's web site <http://www.gnu.org>.

Please let me know what you discover: if there are violations we must
bring this to the attention of RMS so that it can be dealt with.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
 Paul D. Smith <address@hidden>          Find some GNU make tips at:
 http://www.gnu.org                      http://www.paulandlesley.org/gmake/
 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad
Scientist

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