[cfe-dev] [PATCH] Libc++ Windows fixes

[Howard Hinnant]

On Sep 22, 2011, at 3:35 PM, Ruben Van Boxem wrote:

> 2011/9/22 Howard Hinnant <hhinnant at apple.com>
> Patch committed revision 140328.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Now that I've got your attention, on to more... involved... matters :-)
> 
> In order to support libc++'s current implementation using cat[gets|open|close] and nl_types.h (which I ignored for now), I would need to pull in some external code, namely mingw's libcatgets and a supporting iconv library. These can all go under support/win32 and leave all other platforms unchanged of course, and leave the rest of libc++ as coherent as possible on all platforms. I understand Howard has an acceptable aversion to including too much foreign code in libc++, and hope you can see the need for this here.
> 
> There are some issues though:
>  - libcatgets is licensed under GPLv2. If I can go through with this, I can ask/plead/beg the original author to allow a license change or ask him to make an exception for libc++. I know of no existing alternative.
>  - for the iconv part, GNU libiconv is of course out of the question. There are two projects of interest: APR-iconv (Apache License 2.0) and win-iconv (BSD 2-clause license), the latter being tiny but primitive. The first is a truly first class implementation as far as I can see, and with minor refactoring could be included in the libc++ Windows build.
>  - I am not an Open Source license lawyer, and do not know what would be acceptable for libc++ in this regard.
> 
> I want to ask what's "best", before starting with the implementation. The only real alternative is writing all this (ie catgets with supporting iconv code) from scratch, which I don't see myself doing in the near to distant future. Another way is to completely replace libc++ parts that use/rely on these API's, but this would make libc++ a lot more assymetric across platforms. In theory, these support files could help other platforms where these API's are missing.
> 
> Please let me know what you think. Thanks!
> 
> Ruben

I can only accept code that is copyrightable by the licenses in LICENSE.TXT and is not encumbered by any other copyright.  To do otherwise will inhibit further acceptance of libc++.

Howard