[Python-Dev] Building on OS X 10.4 fails

Stephen J. Turnbull stephen at xemacs.org
Wed Jan 18 06:25:03 CET 2006


>>>>> "Anthony" == Anthony Baxter <anthony at interlink.com.au> writes:

    Anthony> It sounds like configure needs to grow a test to detect
    Anthony> that a "libreadline" it finds is actually the crackful
    Anthony> "libedit" and refuse to use it if so.

FYI: Real libreadline is GPL, and rms made a point of forcing
(Aladdin-licensed) Ghostscript to remove stanzas from the Makefile
that allowed linking to it as a user option.  Ie, this particular pain
in the neck is deliberate FSF policy, to encourage use of the GPL.

Unless rms has changed his position on this, or there has been
relevant legislation or a court decision in the meantime, explicitly
requiring or checking for "real" libreadline, even as a user option,
risks rms's wrath.  (Of course, Python could change its license to
GPL, which would undoubtedly flood Cambridge with tears of joy<wink>).

As long as the link to fake libreadline succeeds and the resulting
program works identically to one linked to real libreadline, he has no
complaint.


-- 
School of Systems and Information Engineering http://turnbull.sk.tsukuba.ac.jp
University of Tsukuba                    Tennodai 1-1-1 Tsukuba 305-8573 JAPAN
               Ask not how you can "do" free software business;
              ask what your business can "do for" free software.


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