On Thu, 12 Feb 2004, Luchezar Georgiev wrote: > On Thu, 12 Feb 2004 15:14:40 +0000 (GMT), Bart Oldeman wrote: > > > there is a completely GPLed packer, called upx-ucl (the one that you get > > when you compile UPX and UCL from source). It packs slightly weaker than > > the precompiled upx (upx-nrv). > > > > In Tom's comparison, for FreeCOM (~93000 bytes uncompressed) > > upx-ucl ~ 67500 bytes > > upx-nrv ~ 66000 bytes > > apack ~ 63800 bytes > > But you already wrote that since the STUB is the same, UPX-NRV *can* be used too - > and you do it.
aitor specifically wondered about a GPLed *packer*. A bit like building the kernel using 100% Open Source tools -- then you'd only be able to use Open Watcom + NASM + upx-ucl. And, if you're smart enough, improve the compression ratio of ucl as well :) As to stub being aggregation vs. combining, please have a look at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#TOCMereAggregation Now suppose you'd distribute the stub seperately from the rest of kernel.sys. Then kernel.sys on its own would be useless. So it is not independent of the stub -- in a way comparable to Windows programs that use DLLs. Also you'd distribute a closed stub + a GPLed kernel.sys that *depends* on it. Which sort of defeats the purpose of FreeDOS! You're on very shaky legal ground here... and hence I cannot say much more; and IMHO it's better to avoid such issues (try to save those K's somewhere else). Anyway, as you say there may be a solution, so I'll stay tuned. As to *why* Pat released the FreeDOS kernel under the GPL. I really don't know. He just did, as far as I'm concerned. According to a FD FAQ: DOS-C is open and will remain open. The source code is available to all under GNU GPL and I will continue to make it available in the future. Please do not make changes and fail to publish the source. This violates the purpose of DOS-C. DOS-C is not part of the FSF software collection, but I do use their GPL to protect my copyright and your right to redistribution. Bart ------------------------------------------------------- SF.Net is sponsored by: Speed Start Your Linux Apps Now. Build and deploy apps & Web services for Linux with a free DVD software kit from IBM. Click Now! http://ads.osdn.com/?ad_id=1356&alloc_id=3438&op=click _______________________________________________ Freedos-devel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
