Re: Linking clause deleted from GNAT GPL

[Henning Makholm <henning@makholm.net>]

Scripsit Arnoud Engelfriet <galactus@stack.nl>

> Where is the statement that allows you to take off the linking
> exception from the GNAT license?

It is not quite clear how the exception is to be interpreted. There
are at least two possibilities:

1) An ordinary GPL grant of rights is given. In _addition_ to that, the
   licensor grants an additional right to distribute derivations in
   certain circumstances where the GPL itself (by virtue of #2.b) does
   not grant the right to distribute.

2) The licensor grants a license which is as described by the text of
   the GPL plus the exception, when interpreted under the peculiar
   rule that whenever the GPL's text says "this License" it must be
   construed as referring to the GPL+exception combination.

In case (1) AdaCore does have the right to distribute without the
additional license. On the other hand, in case (2) "this License"
in #2.b requires AdaCore to license their changes under the combined
license.

The result of case (2) is that the combined license, while somewhat
GPL-like is _not compatible with the unamended GPL_ in either
direction. I would argue that it is unlikely that this is how the FSF
really intended to license the code.

-- 
Henning Makholm                   "The great secret, known to internists and
                         learned early in marriage by internists' wives, but
               still hidden from the general public, is that most things get
         better by themselves. Most things, in fact, are better by morning."