Re: FPC-2.2.0 should be removed from Lenny and replaced by FPC-2.2.2

[Adeodato Simó <dato@net.com.org.es>]

* Mazen NEIFER [Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:17:20 +0100]:

> Hi,

Sorry, I'm afraid it is too late in the release cycle to update a
package with such big changes. You will be able to provide fpc-2.2.0 in
backports.org so that users can use it to write non-GPL code.

Thanks,

> Debian packages for FPC-2.2.0 have a copyright issue which makes it
> complicated to use this version for a non GPL project. Indeed, 23
> routines in the Run-Time library were identified by FPC developers as
> being possible copyright infringements: the sources were contributed by
> non core developers and were possibly copied from Borland copyrighted
> code.

> To remove any suspicion, they have been re-implemented using a
> clean-room approach, and this re-implementation was included in release
> 2.2.2.

> Please note that the infringed code was released under Kylix LGPL, so
> there is not necessarily a problem for Debian users using FPC to write
> GPL programs. The problem is mainly for people needing FPC's COPYING.FPC
> exception allowing linking statically to FPC RTL without being forced to
> share their code source, ie using FPC to write non GPL programs.

> The original of the suspicious code was published by Borland as GPL
> code, it is available on Source Forge:
> http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=22417
> It is dual-licensed with a Borland and GPL license: 
> (sample from the Classes.pas file included in the archive)

> { *************************************************************************** }
> {}
> { Kylix and Delphi Cross-Platform Visual Component Library}
> {}
> { Copyright (c) 1995, 2001 Borland Software Corporation}
> {}
> { This file may be distributed and/or modified under the terms of the GNU}
> { General Public License (GPL) version 2 as published by the Free Software }
> { Software Foundation and appearing at http://www.borland.com/kylix/gpl.html. }
> {}
> { Licensees holding a valid Borland No-Nonsense License for this Software may }
> { use this file in accordance with such license, which appears in the file }
> { license.txt that came with this Software.  }
> { }
> { *************************************************************************** }

> So basically, the Debian packages provided in Lenny include the wrong
> license for FPC-2.2.0 RTL and units.

> By upgrading to FPC-2.2.2 this issue is solved.

> Best regards,

> Mazen,






-- 
Adeodato Simó                                     dato at net.com.org.es
Debian Developer                                  adeodato at debian.org
 
A lie can go round the world before the truth has got its boots on.
                -- Terry Pratchett