libgcj / Classpath relicensing and cooperation

Sat Apr 1 00:00:00 GMT 2000

Paul Fisher <rao@gnu.org> writes:
> >From the Kaffe licensing FAQ:
>> Can I run proprietary Java applications and native JNI libraries
> under Kaffe?
>> Yes, you can. Kaffe's choice of GPL does not affect your ability
> to run any Java or JNI-based code that you could run on any other
> Java virtual machine.
>> The same would apply to running Java applications under the GPL'd
> Classpath AWT.

Unfortunately, an FAQ is not a legal document. The words of the GPL
do not support this interpretation. More to the point, it seems to
contradict how the GPL has traditionally been interpreted, including
historical pronuncements from the FSF. What seems to be intended is a
"GPL with modifications" - i.e. more-or-less what Cygnus has been
proposing all along.
If the FSF were to issue a revised GPL, or an *authoritative*
addendum to the GPL, it would be different matter. But RMS
has a tendency to prefer to deliberately leave some things
under-specified. I don't think that should be acceptable for GCJ.
-- 
	--Per Bothner
per@bothner.com http://www.bothner.com/~per/