[OSX-Users] Re: Apple purging GPL?

[Steve Harris]

On 29 Aug 2012, at 19:39, Philip Boulain <prb at ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:

> On 29/08/2012 15:40, Luke Teacy wrote:
>> There are two big changes in GPL v3. The first is that it explicitly prohibits patent lawsuits against people for actually using the GPL-licensed software you ship. The second is that it carefully prevents TiVoization, locking down hardware so that people can’t actually run the software they want.
>> So, which of those things are they planning for OS X, eh?
> 
> Both? Apple love them some patent lawsuits, and Apple love them some App Stores. It's not surprising that they'd want to keep their options open to finish turning OS X into iOS some day, even if they consider it unlikely.
> 
>> I’m also intrigued to see how far they are prepared to go with this. They already annoyed and inconvenienced a lot of people with the Samba and GCC removal.
> 
> Hunh. So what's providing Windows network share compatability on modern OS X, then?
> 
> If Clang can close up the last few optimization differences, smothering GCC is of benefit to everyone. LLVM is the future, and for once it's a future that's an actual freaking improvement.

Agreed, Clang is already better than GCC overall, in my opinion. We use it on Linux too, for its static analysis abilities. 

>> shipping obsolete tools and making it a pain in the ass to upgrade them?
> 
> Well, Apple don't need any help there. The package manager for open source software on Mac is...Fink? No, wait, MacPorts. No, wait, Homebrew. Which one's maintained this year? Who knows, but for God's sake don't mix them.

Homebrew seems to be the one of choice, but I have an old machine with Fink on it and Fink still works fine. 
> 

MacPorts was always terrible. 

- Steve