[Axiom-developer] Re: [Maxima] GCL compliance and Bill Schelter

[C Y]

--- root <address@hidden> wrote:

> If the FSF insists that I can no longer use GCL to develop Axiom
> I'd have to argue the case. I'm an (albeit minor) author of AKCL
> and GCL is a derivative work. I'd have to claim "copy rights" in
> the GCL work and refuse to allow it to be GPLed unless some 
> compromise is reached.

Clearly, what we need here is a definite statement from the FSF on this
issue.  IMHO it would be folly to restrict GCL to only work with GPL
code.  I agree that issues such as the C compiler and how it works
would also crop up, and I don't thing that forest fire should be lit.  
 
> I believe that GPL is a good idea but AKCL was written to support
> Scratchpad (now Axiom) and I helped with its development. It is
> unreasonable beyond belief that I would be prevented from using 
> my own work to develop code. Bill shared my office, my computer,
> and my coffee while we worked on that code. He'd turn in his grave
> if he knew that the GPL was being used to steal my code and my
> rights.

There has been some uncertainty for quite a while on how the GPL and
Lisp interact.  If we (particularly the FSF) can finally resolve the
questions/issues here it would do the community a real service.  If the
GPL in this case is preventing other types of licenses, particularly
free software licensed programs, from being developed, run, or compiled
into usable form on the platform it provides, than something is wrong
and needs to be fixed.  Let's hash it out now so we can all get back to
coding.

CY

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