Ada and licensing - ADA

On Sep 17, 9:33 am, Tomek Wa kuski <tomek.walku...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm not a language lawyer and I have heard many answers to my
> questions:
>
> 1. Can I use AdaCore's GNAT GPL compiler to produce propertiary
> software?

Yes, provided you do not distribute your software to anyone. This
means you can either write proprietary software for your own use only,
or provide software as a service (i.e. a web application).

> 2. If not, GCC version is provided with something like "GNAT modified
> provision". Huh? So maybe I can use this one!

Yes, that is correct.

> 3. GTK+ is licensed as LGPL, Ada bindings are licensed as GPL. So I
> can't use GtkAda in propertiary software?

Correct, see 1.

If you would like to write and distribute proprietary software using
GtkAda, you must purchase GNAT Pro.

--
Ludovic Brenta.

On 17 Wrz, 10:04, Ludovic Brenta <ludo...@ludovic-brenta.org> wrote:
> Yes, provided you do not distribute your software to anyone. This
> means you can either write proprietary software for your own use only,
> or provide software as a service (i.e. a web application).
>
So, this same applies to GCC C compiler? (it is also on GPL without
any provision).


> If you would like to write and distribute proprietary software using
> GtkAda, you must purchase GNAT Pro.
>
Or prepare own bindings!

Tomek

Tomek Wałkuski <tomek.walkuski@gmail.com> writes:

> I'm not a language lawyer and I have heard many answers to my
> questions:

By posting here, you will hear many more.

If you need an authoritative answer for a business, you need to spend
money and ask a lawyer.

> 1. Can I use AdaCore's GNAT GPL compiler to produce propertiary
> software?

I think you mean "proprietary"; you own the software, and don't want
to give away the source.

The short answer is "no"; GPL prevents that.

> 2. If not, GCC version is provided with something like "GNAT modified
> provision". Huh? So maybe I can use this one!

Yes, the GNAT Modified GPL (GMGPL) is designed to allow people to
write code using Ada, and not be forced to give away the source.

> 3. GTK+ is licensed as LGPL, Ada bindings are licensed as GPL. So I
> can't use GtkAda in propertiary software?

If you are correct about the license on GtkAda (I have not checked),
and my understanding of what you mean by "propertiary" is correct,
your conclusion is correct.

--
-- Stephe

Wikipedia says:

""Any software created with GPL tools must be released under the GPL."
The program must be GPL only if it includes GPL source code or it
is linked with a GPL library. For example, using gcc to compile
proprietary software is allowed."

Wikipedia made a mistake? GCC is licensed as GPL, GNAT is also GPL -
so where is the difference?

For the absolute, answer email Adacore and ask them.

Eveybody has an answer but the one that should know is Adacore! The
maintainers of GNAT. Of course they might try to sale you a GNAT Pro
but that the breaks!

In <1190014387.975202.55530@57g2000hsv.googlegroups.com>, =?iso-8859-2?q?Tomek_Wa=B3kuski?= <tomek.walkuski@gmail.com> writes:
>Hi,
>
>I'm not a language lawyer and I have heard many answers to my
>questions:
>
>1. Can I use AdaCore's GNAT GPL compiler to produce propertiary
>software?
>2. If not, GCC version is provided with something like "GNAT modified
>provision". Huh? So maybe I can use this one!
>3. GTK+ is licensed as LGPL, Ada bindings are licensed as GPL. So I
>can't use GtkAda in propertiary software?
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>Tomek
>

On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 09:37:18 -0000, Tomek Wa kuski wrote:

> Wikipedia says:
>
> ""Any software created with GPL tools must be released under the GPL."
> The program must be GPL only if it includes GPL source code or it
> is linked with a GPL library. For example, using gcc to compile
> proprietary software is allowed."
>
> Wikipedia made a mistake? GCC is licensed as GPL, GNAT is also GPL -
> so where is the difference?

My guess is - you link to the Ada RTL.

(I don't know how "to link" is defined in the legal system. It looks quite
swampy, I mean technically, to distinguish linking and translation. But
what ever, law has nothing to do with reason anyway. (:-))

--
Regards,
Dmitry A. Kazakov
http://www.dmitry-kazakov.de

On Sep 17, 10:07 am, Tomek Wa kuski <tomek.walku...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 17 Wrz, 10:04, Ludovic Brenta <ludo...@ludovic-brenta.org> wrote:> Yes, provided you do not distribute your software to anyone. This
> > means you can either write proprietary software for your own use only,
> > or provide software as a service (i.e. a web application).
>
> So, this same applies to GCC C compiler? (it is also on GPL without
> any provision).

See http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Ada_Pro...are_Foundation

The gist of it is: it is the run-time library, not the compiler, that
has an effect on your program.

> > If you would like to write and distribute proprietary software using
> > GtkAda, you must purchase GNAT Pro.
>
> Or prepare own bindings!

Yes indeed.

--
Ludovic Brenta.

Tomek Wa³kuski schrieb:

> 1. Can I use AdaCore's GNAT GPL compiler to produce propertiary
> software?

Only if you use "pragma No_Runtime;" but that would be very painfull indeed.

Martin

--
mailto://krischik@users.sourceforge.net
Ada programming at: http://ada.krischik.com

Tomek Wa kuski schrieb:
> Wikipedia says:
>
> ""Any software created with GPL tools must be released under the GPL."
> The program must be GPL only if it includes GPL source code or it
> is linked with a GPL library. For example, using gcc to compile
> proprietary software is allowed."
>
> Wikipedia made a mistake? GCC is licensed as GPL, GNAT is also GPL -
> so where is the difference?

The difference is that glibc is a sepearate product and libgnat comes
with the compiler.

Martin

--
mailto://krischik@users.sourceforge.net
Ada programming at: http://ada.krischik.com