>> Unfortunately if FriCAS stays under BSD license, it cannot use use
>> readline as ist is GPL.
> 
> PS. Python (cpython) happily links readline, and is distributed under
> a GPL-compatible license, but not under GPL
> https://docs.python.org/3/license.html
> (which is a modified BSD license, just as your
> https://github.com/fricas/fricas/blob/master/license/LICENSE.AXIOM -
> which, I think, is a "3-clause BSD license", thus GPL-compatible, too).

Personally, I would have nothing against distributing FriCAS under GPL.

In my understanding of the GPL, you have to distribute the sources under
GPL if you like against GPL software. In other words, if readline is
used, then together with the BINARY distribution, there must be a GPL'd
source distribution of FriCAS.

Of course, that still allows to distribute FriCAS under the licese as we
have it now. It just needs to be GPL-compatible, which it is.

> Do you have a reason not to follow their example?

I don't exactly see where and how (c)python uses readline, but a binary
distribution must then be under GPL.

As far as I understand, the situation in FriCAS is much simpler. In the
same way as "fricas -rl" calls rlwrap, a FriCAS binary distribution
could include rlwrap (as a separate program undert GPL) and be itself
(without this readline stuff) under mBSD. As far as I currently
understand, sman just calls an external program "clef"

https://github.com/fricas/fricas/blob/master/src/sman/sman.c#L74
https://github.com/fricas/fricas/blob/master/src/sman/sman.c#L183

so if this is generally replaced by readline, there is absolutely no
danger for other parts of FriCAS, but only a gain for users.

Anyone who wants to provide a patch?

Ralf

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