On Sun, Aug 04, 2002 at 02:59:17PM -0400, Alan Shutko wrote: > Steve Langasek <vorlon@netexpress.net> writes: > > > It is ok to redistribute it by itself; if you distribute it with the > > interpreter (which is the case in Debian), I believe the GPL requires you > > to also distribute the interpreter's source under the GPL. > What clause of the GPL requires you to do this? The GPL's definition of source code is: 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. Interpreters are not explicitly mentioned anywhere in the definition, but their function is most similar to compilers and kernels -- the major components of the operating system on which the executable runs. There is sufficient ambiguity that I believe obtaining an explicit license exception is safest for all involved. > It seems that this link is apropos: > http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#InterpreterIncompat The question presented there is, "If a programming language interpreter has a license that is incompatible with the GPL, can I run GPL-covered programs on it?", but running such programs is not the issue -- distributing them is. In light of the wording of the GPL, that FAQ answer seems to only cloud the issue, IMHO. It is also based on the FSF's interpretation of the GPL; their interpretation is not legally authoritative, particularly when they don't hold the copyright on the work in question. Steve Langasek postmodern programmer
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