Re: License issues in Bison

[Paul Eggert]

> Here is my proposal.  I'm not sure of the rewording :(

The .m4 changes look fine.  I installed them, along with the following
somewhat-different patch for the documentation.

diff -p -u -r1.67 -r1.68
--- bison.texinfo       29 Jul 2002 17:30:33 -0000      1.67
+++ bison.texinfo       7 Sep 2002 06:33:29 -0000       1.68
@@ -305,9 +305,9 @@ This edition corresponds to version @val
 @unnumbered Conditions for Using Bison
 
 As of Bison version 1.24, we have changed the distribution terms for
address@hidden to permit using Bison's output in nonfree programs.
-Formerly, Bison parsers could be used only in programs that were free
-software.
address@hidden to permit using Bison's output in nonfree programs when
+Bison is generating C code for LALR(1) parsers.  Formerly, these
+parsers could be used only in programs that were free software.
 
 The other GNU programming tools, such as the GNU C compiler, have never
 had such a requirement.  They could always be used for nonfree
@@ -328,6 +328,13 @@ concluded that limiting Bison's use to f
 encourage people to make other software free.  So we decided to make the
 practical conditions for using Bison match the practical conditions for
 using the other GNU tools.
+
+This exception applies only when Bison is generating C code for a
+LALR(1) parser; otherwise, the GPL terms operate as usual.  You can
+tell whether the exception applies to your @samp{.c} output file by
+inspecting it to see whether it says ``As a special exception, when
+this file is copied by Bison into a Bison output file, you may use
+that output file without restriction.''
 
 @include gpl.texi