Re: Guile and --with-readline?

[Clark McGrew <mcgrew@ale.physics.sunysb.edu>]

>>>>> "forcer" == forcer  <forcer@mindless.com> writes:

    forcer> I know that guile can't be linked to readline by default
    forcer> to prevent copyright problems, but what was wrong with the
    forcer> --with-readline option?

It's inconvenient, but I imagine its got to stay that way.  I think
the problem is that a non-GPL application may be linked against
libraries installed in /usr/local.  If libguile depends on readline
then that forces the application to depend on readline.  The developer
may violate GPL without even knowing it.  I'd guess the catch is that
if FSF "forces" this sort of copyright violation then it means that
GPL could be thrown out of court.  

    forcer> And more importantly, how can i add readline support to
    forcer> guile now? I hope it didn't get dropped completely?

You have to use your own main program.  If you're not opposed to
hacking then it's not all that hard, but it is a pain in the neck.
You need to back up your guile configure.in to before readline was
removed and copy it for you own main program.  Then you need to copy
libguile/readline.c and call init_readline.  I hacked readline.c a
touch so that it compiled more easily outside of the guile
directories, but I'm not sure that was necessary.

It's on my list of "shoulds", but I never seem to have time.  I think
what is really needed is for somebody to put together a libguile-free
with bits of guile stuff that are GPLed, but should be in the core
anyway.

Cheers,

Clark