From: Kenneth J. Davis (jeremyd_at_computer.org)
Date: Sat Jan 17 2004 - 09:21:42 EST
...
>libwpd 0.7.0 released
...
>Furthermore, build systems for MingW and Microsoft Visual
>Studio are now available, adding Microsoft Windows to the list of
>supported platforms. ...
within contained README:
"NOTE: Packages built with MSVC7 are not usable because they are linked
with MSVCRT70.DLL that is not by default part of Windows. Packages build
with MSVC5 or MSVC6 are -- like the MinGW natively compiled packages --
linked with MSVCRT.DLL and thus are usable."
*** I have no intention of discussing the matter further, please do not
respond to this thread regarding my message. ***
Because of the above statement, and a similar one found in gettext, I will
not be providing any builds of the Word Perfect plugin, nor any plugins
that indirectly depend on gettext (i.e. the Open Office importers / gsf /
glib based plugins). [To be fair, I actually will not be supporting nor
providing builds for any GPL'd program including such statements.] I
disagree with this interpretation of the GPL, as such an interpretation in
my mind actually implies building with any version of MSVC to be in
violation.
[I consider (within reasonable limits) the compiler used to be a major
component _of_ (not with) the OS, and as such both its unmodified runtime
and startup code fall under the exemption clause in the GPL. If this is
not the case, then any GPL'd program without an explicit exemption
(including for all GPL'd libraries used by the program) that is linked
against a compiler's startup code and runtime, where such code is not
available for distribution under terms compatible with the GPL to be in
violation of the GPL and/or the compiler's license.]
I have no intention of violating the GPL, so if necessary, all MSVC builds
will be discontinued by myself and removed from my site, should they also
be found in violation of the GPL. [I already make available all the source
that I legally can, i.e. everything except those parts included with the
compiler.] Until I get a chance to update my build system, I am simply
disabling my tinderbox client, its automatic uploads, and pchasm.org.
Because I refuse to provide builds for the mentioned plugins, I will understand if
another developer is chosen to make release builds for Windows, given plugins
are still likely to be highly bound to a given release build. I will however,
continue to provide builds that lack the given components until shown doing
so to be a violation of either the GPL or the AbiWord developers' intentions.
Sincerely,
Kenneth J. Davis
jeremyd_at_computer.org
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Jan 17 2004 - 09:25:30 EST