[Python-Dev] (libffi) Re: Copyright issue

Sat Jan 28 02:04:50 CET 2006

On 28/01/2006, at 10:41 AM, Martin v. Löwis wrote:
> You misunderstand the GPL. Section 2b) is pretty clear that any
> application that contains GPL-licensed code must be, itself, 
> distributed
> under the terms ofthe GPL

Quite so, but using the autotools does NOT include any GPL code in 
the resulting program. So this does not apply. All that is needed 
is to include in the source distribution a copy of GPL, note that GPL 
applies to some files in the sources and ensure that copyright 
notices at the heads of GPL files are intact.
The compiler needs specific exemptions because parts of the GPLed 
runtime libraries are included in all compiled code. No part of the 
autotools ends up in the finished code. If it did, you would need m4 
to run Python and you don't.
Cheers
Bill Northcott