🚀 go-pugleaf

    david>    Yes, but of course it would link with their libraries
    david> since it uses their standard functions (i.e. even 'printf'
    david> is part of a GNU library with GCC).

    david> Use of GCC does not a priori mean you are using a GNU
    david> printf().  GCC uses the vendor's libraries (which is why
    david> GCC doesn't always provide an ANSI C library) rather than
    david> supplying its own.

    david> Now, had we installed GNU libc (glibc) and linked with
    david> that, we would have been subject to the LGPL that glibc is
    david> distributed under.

    david> Also, some system are distributed with glibc (or a variant)
    david> as their C library, and if you hope to distribute
    david> commercial (read: proprietary) software on such platforms
    david> you had better be linking dynamically.
 

I consider this unfortunate.  I believe this will prevent a lot of
businesses from using Linux that otherwise would.  This is a shame
since Linux is such a nice system.  Also, all the bug reports and
fixes that these businesses would generate will not happen.

I believe the LGPL is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to
widespread useage of Linux (and eventually the Hurd).

Richard Coleman
coleman@math.gatech.edu