xgettext (Re: replication of stuff in /usr/gnu)

[Nicolas Williams]

On Fri, Jul 13, 2007 at 11:28:57AM -0700, Garrett D'Amore wrote:
> This whole debate underscores for me a point that I think is often 
> overlooked.
> 
> I think it is very important to ensure that it remain possible to build 
> a distro that is basically operation, but remains entirely free of GPL 
> licensed code.   (Otherwise why bother with CDDL at all?  Just go GPLv2 
> or v3 everywhere...  yech.)

If that's true why do we have a way to build with GCC?  Why do the *BSDs
use GCC for building?

What's important is to be able to build the system so it remains
unencumbered by the build tools' licenses.

The use of xgettext to extract strings for localization does not
encumber the core OS.

> I'd really really like it to remain this way.

The ARC gets its chance to look at this question.

> It makes it far easier to do things like build embedded appliances with 
> some CDDL code and some proprietary code, etc.

The need for GPL'ed build tools does not negatively impact anyone who
wants to build an embeddable version of Solaris -- the GPL affects
re-distribution of derivatives of those tools, which a embedder need not
do.

Nico
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