Corrected version Re: pragma License ?

All Languages have features that no one uses! I think the primary group of
programmers that use the Adacore or GNU Ada compiler kind of skip this
pragma.

The reason it was inserted in the language is that Adacore GNAT is
maintain under the GPL licence. And the OSI/FSF group wanted the
"pragma Licence" to be included. So, NYU (GNAT creators) inserted this
pragma back in one of the orginal ADA83 version and will be there in
all future GPL versions. This way, the OSI/FSF can try to enforce the
GPL policy, but since Ada specifications does not enforce this pragma,
neither does Adacore.

Actually all languages that are maintain with the GPL have this type of
feature. But with no Language specification for this feature then no
compile will enforces the usages of this feature. So it kind of a dead
issue unless you want the GNU to maintain or broadcast you progam
package. If you look at GNU c/c++. fortran, or even the GNU
version of java you will see a feature that emulates the
Ada's "pragma License" in that language.

Plus when the OSI/FSF finally updates its GPL to version 3, all of the
sources that use GPL version 2 will have to be update. But the one
that uses this pragma or this type of feature in other languages are
automatically update. Updating source files for those packages that do
not use this feature that is going to be one BIG JOB. Or should I say
headache.

And since, the linker does not verify the "License" of its
files, this also denote that this is the main reason it was inserted.

Plus, using this feature does look more professional. Because the line:

pragma License ( GPL ) ;

is a lot easier to use than to insert the following set of lines
(GNAT version) in each file:

-- GNAT is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under --
-- terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Soft- --
-- ware Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any later ver- --
-- sion. GNAT is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITH- --
-- OUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY --
-- or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License --
-- for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General --
-- Public License distributed with GNAT; see file COPYING. If not, write --
-- to the Free Software Foundation, 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, --
-- Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA. --
-- --
-- As a special exception, if other files instantiate generics from this --
-- unit, or you link this unit with other files to produce an executable, --
-- this unit does not by itself cause the resulting executable to be --
-- covered by the GNU General Public License. This exception does not --
-- however invalidate any other reasons why the executable file might be --
-- covered by the GNU Public License. --
-- --

But most progammers just insert the larger set of comments. That way
it spell out what others can do with the source. But these programmer
forget that sometime in the future they may be requested to update this
type of comment. Or have to deal with legal action from the OSI/FSF
groups.

Note: I believe that Linux will create it own license once the GPL version
3 final is out. Linus does not like the GPL version 3 drafts he has seen
so far.


In <f4ukr6$meq$1@xxxxxxxxx>, Michael Bode <m.g.bode@xxxxxx> writes:
anon@xxxxxxxx (anon) writes:

Try this example ( 5 files ) :
Note: I like spaces so I know it will generate Style warning if compile
with that option turn on.

My question was not if the pragma works but wether it is actually
*used*. This is a Adacore pragma and Adacore distributes their very
same software under different licenses. So I would think it is
reasonable to assume they use it to help avoid breach of license.

--
No intelligent man has any respect for an unjust law.
He simply follows the eleventh commandment.
-- R.A. Heinlein

.

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