Re: gpl, gdb and wigglers.dll

[Steven Johnson <sjohnson@neurizon.net>]

Stan Shebs wrote:
> 
> Andrew Cagney wrote:
> >
> > [...] should GDB
> > even include the source to code that allows it to use proprietary debug
> > interfaces?  
[snip]
> 
> I don't believe this practice violates the letter of the GPL, but
> it is in a gray area. 
[snip]
> So as a matter of principle, it would be better to remove ser-ocd.c
> from the sources and explain why.  Perhaps the official deprecation
> will encourage someone to work up some free source that will work
> with a wiggler, much as was done for m68k bdm years ago (though never
> incorporated into GDB, sigh).
> 

I agree with all of this, if a vendor wishes to include proprietary
interfaces 
to closed source DLL's they can:
1. Have patches available on their web site for the interface.
2. Build a server program that communicates to GDB using the GDB remote
serial protocol (and therefore does not require any pathces to GDB)
3. Release the communication details of the device so that the DLL can
be used on windows, but other direct alternatives can be provided for
other platforms.

This always seemed against the spirit of the GPL to me.

BTW. I don't think ser-ocd.c is the only file that does this, I seem to
remember one other interface as well.

Steven Johnson