Linked by Thom Holwerda on Wed 15th Jun 2011 14:23 UTC, submitted by Valhalla
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Member since:
2011-01-28
lemur2,
"As with all GPL programs, the GPL license and the associated copyleft applies to the source code of the program. Youy have unlimited, irrevocable, unconditional permission (under the GPL) to use the program however you wish. The only act to which copyleft provisos apply is if you decide to re-distribute said compiler tools."
Hmm, I don't know if that's right. The binary could arguably be a derivative work.
I think the FSF uses a different interpretation of the GPL than common sense might infer, which is why they've licensed GCC with GPL exceptions.
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gcc-exception-faq.html
In the faq, read this section "Why is compiler intermediate representation excluded from the definition of 'Target Code?'"
"...If that program is proprietary, the exception will not be available to any software compiled with it; the object code that GCC ultimately creates will have to be distributed under the terms of the GPL."
It's pretty clear that the FSF intends GCC compiled code not covered by the exception to fall under the GPL license.
If the FSF interpretation of the GPL is accurate (it would be ironic if it wasn't), then in theory a GPL compiler without exceptions can only be used for GPL projects.
Edit:
Personally I find this interpretation bizarre. At the extreme, there could be license ramifications for all GPL tools like 'sed' or 'grep' lacking explicit exceptions.
Of course I leave it to the capable hands of more knowledgeable posters to explain it to me.
Edited 2011-06-16 03:12 UTC