Re: [RFC] multiboot2 loader

["Yoshinori K. Okuji" <okuji@enbug.org>]

On Wednesday 15 November 2006 23:48, Hollis Blanchard wrote:
> > > An exception is exactly what I am proposing. What is your objection?
> >
> > The GNU Project endorses the use of GPL to promote freedom. Don't forget
> > that GRUB is a part of GNU.
>
> The GNU project also includes GCC, which is used to build non-Free
> software. In fact GCC even contains libgcc, which is *linked* with
> non-free software.

GCC is a project to be used as a tool to make another program. GRUB is not.

> The GNU project also includes glibc, which is linked with (almost?) all
> non-Free software on Linux.

GNU Libc is a project to be used as a library to make another program. GRUB is 
not.

> The GNU project also uses the LGPL license, which allows all sorts of
> Free software to be used with non-Free software.

We have never been in favour of LGPL. LGPL is just a workaround, and should 
not be used whenever possible.

> GRUB itself is used to boot non-Free operating systems.

This is a different story. One may use, say, GNU Emacs to make proprietary 
software. But this does not require that GNU Emacs be non-copyleft.

> There is plenty of precedent here. So I still see nothing wrong with
> putting a header file, which describes an interface, under a non-GPL
> license.

Because GRUB is not a library. The spec is available independently, so you can 
write your own header easily. Nothing prevents you from doing this.

Okuji