Re: Autoconf 2.50
On Fri, May 25, 2001 at 09:28:37AM +0900, Junichi Uekawa wrote:
> Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <hmh@debian.org> immo vero scripsit
>
> Hello,
>
> > What you want is to ask the release manager if he considers "cannot build
> > from source" to be an RC bug (policy already says it is, mind you).
>
> It is a RC bug because it does not satisfy the requirement of the GPL if
> it does not build from source.
>
> That's my understanding, at least with software that are under the GPL.
You're stretching the point somewhat.
What the GPL says, in actual fact, is that if you give someone the
binary, you must also make available the source that built it. (The
actual phrase used is "complete corresponding machine-readable source
code", section 3a)
There is NO guarantee that the source will compile with all future
versions of the tools used, e.g. autoconf.
It is a Debian decision to classify "not buildable from source" as an
RC bug. It has nothing to do with the GPL.
-S
--
by Rocket to the Moon,
by Airplane to the Rocket,
by Taxi to the Airport,
by Frontdoor to the Taxi,
by throwing back the blanket and laying down the legs ...
- They Might Be Giants
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