Re: Debian based GNU/Solaris: pilot program
On Thu, 2005-11-03 at 09:18 +0100, Wouter Verhelst wrote:
> Op wo, 02-11-2005 te 18:21 -0800, schreef Erast Benson:
> > GPL:
> >
> > """The source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for
> > making modifications to it. For an executable work, complete source
> > code means all the source code for all modules it contains, plus any
> > associated interface definition files, plus the scripts used to control
> > compilation and installation of the executable. However, as a special
> > exception, the source code distributed need not include anything that is
> > normally distributed (in either source or binary form) with the major
> > components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the operating system on
> > which the executable runs, unless that component itself accompanies the
> > executable."""
>
> *sigh*
>
> As Steve said: this does not apply, since you're planning to distribute
> the kernel together with the binaries. Read the final part of that
> clause ("unless that...") very carefully.
>
> This clause was added to the GPL back when there was no totally free
> operating system yet, and people would need to install the GNU software
> on a non-free operating system. This would allow you to use GPL'ed
> software together with a non-free libc if you'd just install emacs on
> your Solaris, or so.
>
> If, however, you're planning to totally redesign Solaris into something
> containing glibc and emacs from the very beginning, then this clause
> does not apply, since the "major components" do "accompany the
> executable".
In fact, we did initial port of GNU libc to Solaris kernel. But we
didn't see any points in continuing this, since SUN's libc and other
core libraries are well tested and we wanted to be compliant with others
OpenSolaris-based distributions.
But one is welcome to start work on Solaris GNU libc port. This is 1+
year effort by itself.
What we could do is:
(a) to ship packaged OpenSolaris core on "main" CD, and the rest of
GPL-filtered software, will go on "Companion" CD, or through APT
repository later on. This is doable, since OpenSolaris core has
everything it needs to be installed as a base system. We will try look
carefully into GPL vs. LGPL vs. dual-licensed GPL and will clean up
Nexenta to be complient with requests on this mailing lists.
(b) to resolve "the problem" is to ask OpenSolaris community to change
SUN libc to be dual-licensed. But possibility is very remote.
any others ideas?
Erast
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