[cfe-dev] [LLVMdev] New libc++ LLVM Subproject

[Chris Lattner]

On May 12, 2010, at 9:37 AM, David Greene wrote:

> On Wednesday 12 May 2010 11:20:20 David Chisnall wrote:
>> On 12 May 2010, at 14:57, David Greene wrote:
>>> I simply don't see or don't understand that libstdc++ has a similar
>>> level of "closedness."
>> 
>> Recent versions of libstdc++ are GPLv3 + runtime exemption.  Te exemption
>> means that the license is completely irrelevant for anyone using or linking
>> against the library, but it is still an issue when you are distributing the
>> code.
> 
> How so?  What's the issue?  What additional restrictions are put on the
> distributor?  If you ship libstdc++ you have to include the source code,
> whether it's GPLv2 or GPLv3.  Is it the anti-Tivoization thing that's a
> problem?  I could see that being an issue for things like the iPhone.

It doesn't really matter.  It is widely known that Apple employees are generally not allowed to touch GPL3 code.  The reasons and decision was not an engineering choice.

-Chris