Re: gEDA-user: Footprint with Unusual Pads

[Stuart Brorson <sdb@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> > > Plus, m4 isn't readily available on Windows platforms, so moving to
> > > newlib makes Windows support easier.
> >
> > Another reason to have the developers run the M4 processor, and not
> > the users.
>
> Since it's GPL, we have to delete the use of M4 entirely to delete it in a 
> user's source build process.

Perhaps I misunderstand.  If we strictly adhere to the GPL, we still
don't have to *build* the newlib stuff from the M4 stuff for each
normal user.  At most all we need to do is ship the M4 source along
with the pre-built newlib footprints.  And what's wrong with that?  We
currently distribute .pdf docs made from .tex sources, but don't build
the .pdf on the user's machine.  We do this since lots of users don't
have LaTeX anymore.  (More's the pity, too......)

Look at it this way:  Most people install their Linux software via RPM
or some other binary install mechanism.  All they install are the
binaries, not the source.   That's OK since all the
vendor has to do is make the source easily available for the user
should he want it.  We can do the same by just distributing newlib
footprints and making the M4 source available to those who want it.

Or am I missing something?

Stuart


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