Looking to learn more about "EXCEPTIONS" -- gnu style

[Patrick Doyle]

On Tue, 7 Mar 2000, David Johnson wrote:

> The GNU compilers have exceptions, but as I understand it, they're only
> there to placate some fears. I seem to recall some early rumours that
> compiling your programs with a GPL compiler would cause the output to be
> under the GPL. This is patently false, as the GPL already excepts the
> output of most programs, including gcc. Nevertheless, the fear was there
> so the exception was added. 

Actually, I recall a similar problem with flex (or was it bison?).  They
make use of skeleton files which were GPLed, and which appeared verbatim
(plus the generated code) in the program's output.  I don't know if there
was a similar situation with gcc, but it seems a reasonable concern to me.

--
Patrick Doyle
doylep at ecf.toronto.edu