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Date:	Thu, 08 Mar 2001 03:47:44 -0500
From:	"Charles S. Wilson" <cwilson AT ece DOT gatech DOT edu>
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To:	Alexandre Oliva <oliva AT lsd DOT ic DOT unicamp DOT br>
CC:	Christopher Faylor <cgf AT redhat DOT com>, autoconf AT gnu DOT org, cygwin AT cygwin DOT com
Subject:	Re: Detecting the need for -mwin32 in newer cygwin gcc's
References:	<20010307161214 DOT A20717 AT redhat DOT com> <orn1axvuu4 DOT fsf AT guarana DOT lsd DOT ic DOT unicamp DOT br>

Alexandre Oliva wrote:
> 
> On Mar  7, 2001, Christopher Faylor <cgf AT redhat DOT com> wrote:
> 
> > Basically, I think we need something like a AC_PROG_GCC_USES_MWIN32.
> 
> I have mixed feelings about having this macro in autoconf.  On one
> hand, it would be kind of promoting the use of proprietary software.

Speaking as a cygwin user *not* affiliated with Cygnus/Red Hat, cygwin
is sortof schizophrenic.  On one hand, it is a totally free (speech &
beer, libre' and gratis), GPL'ed, software platform.  On the other hand,
it's also distributed with a proprietary license. If a developer whose
product depends on cygwin is content to opensource his product, then he
can use and distribute cygwin under its GPL license and we all win ---
more libre' software for everyone.  Otherwise, the developer can
negotiate with Cygwin for a proprietary license, and keep his own source
closed.  Not ideal, certainly, but I've got no problem with Cygwin/Red
Hat "punishing" folks that want to stay closed, while making a little
money on it.  That helps those of us on the libre' side -- imposing a
"tax" on closed-source development encourages free (libre')
alternatives.

So, by absorbing AC_PROG_GCC_USES_MWIN32, are you helping the GPL half,
or the proprietary half?

By refusing to absorb it, are you hurting the proprietary half, or the
GPL half?

Both, of course.

Which is more important?

--Chuck

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