🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2843F55A.21400@ics.uci.edu> jhummel@ics.uci.edu (Joseph Edward Hummel) writes:
>In article <5350@ztivax.UUCP> sof3@ztivax.UUCP (Walter Meyer) writes:
>>> geissler@D012S050@ap542.uucp (Norbert Geissler):
>>> > the facts:
>>> > I wanted to get a port of GCC from a company which ported it to the
>>> > same type of machine I am using.
>>> > Porting is not trivial, because as far as I know, there are at least
>>> > alignment problems between code generator and machine assembler.
>>> > I got the answer, that I can get this GCC if I pay(!) for the effort they
>>> > had to do the porting.
>
>I'm a newcomer to GNU, so I'm confused about this last statement.  Can
>someone charge a non-trivial fee for porting GCC?  I thought only fees
>related to copying the software could be charged.
>
>Can someone clarify?  Thanks.

This is a perennial subject in this GNUsegroup (sp?).

If you don't know what you can do, then READ THE LICENSE.  It usually comes
in the file called COPYING with every GNU package.  If you cannot understand
the license, then consult a lawyer.  I am not a lawyer, I do not try to give
legal advice, but I will give you my opinion.

GCC (and other GNU packages) can be sold to anyone for any price.  Selling
them for more than the FSF will probably not make much money.  However, once
you have bought a copy, you must be given a copy of the source [or a pointer
to the source].

Experts say that porting GCC to a new architecture or machine is not too
difficult (if you are an expert).   Doing a good port of GCC takes a bit
more work.  In either case, the person doing the work deserves remuneration.
For many FSF volunteers, the reward is in the accolades of the community.

For others, the reward is in cash (or check).  These are consultants who
have found a way to make a living by supporting GNU software.  People pay
to keep the experts around to fix bugs when they arise.  Or some companies
pay to gain a version of software that will work on a new (and unsupported)
platform.  It is tough to sell new hardware if there is no software included,
so one way to get a good piece of software is to pay an expert to port
existing software (like gcc).

Sure, if a user can afford to wait for the next version of GNU software, and
someone else is already doing a port, then a user can get the changes for
free.  But in cases of new hardware, there is little incentive to do the
work unless you own the hardware.  So waiting doesn't help.  You either
do it yourself or pay someone.

There is nothing in the GNU General Public License which forces people
to give their source away, unless they give or sell you the binaries.
However, once you have the binaries, you have a right to see the source,
and you have a right to give the source away to others.  This helps to
keep any changes or improvements available to the community.  But if you
want software early, then you either have to convince a consultant's
customer to give you the source or you have to pay what the consultant asks.

Personally, I think even paying a consultant is cheap compared to some
commercial software.  And you help the rest of the community.  Refusing
to help pay for special treatment is just plain rude.  Demanding service
without being willing to pay for it leaves me speechless.  How obnoxious
can you get?

Aydin Edguer