On Mon, Jun 02, 2025 at 07:55:39PM +0100, Gavin Smith wrote: > On Mon, Jun 02, 2025 at 12:12:47PM -0400, Nick Bowler wrote: > > On Sun, Jun 01, 2025 at 06:48:38PM -0500, Bob Friesenhahn wrote: > > > It seems a shame that a distribution tarball will lack a source file > > > due to makefile build rules. Build rules are a simple technical issue, > > > which have been solved before, and are even already supported by > > > Automake. > > > > I agree wholeheartedly. The bootstrap script forms part of the > > corresponding source code for configure and should definitely be > > included in the distribution. > > > > Automake is distributed under the terms of the GPL version 2 or any > > later version. The configure script included in the tar archive > > unquestionably is object code or executable form and the version 2 of > > the GPL requires that whenever anyone distributes object code, they must > > ALSO distribute "complete source code ... plus scripts used to control > > compilation" which unquestionably includes the bootstrap script. > > Version 3 of the GPL has very similar requirements. > > Here's the text from GPLv3: > > The “Corresponding Source” for a work in object code form means > all the source code needed to generate, install, and (for an executable > work) run the object code and to modify the work, including scripts to > control those activities. However, it does not include the work's System > Libraries, or general-purpose tools or generally available free programs > which are used unmodified in performing those activities but which are > not part of the work. > > So a bootstrap script could meet the criteria of being "Corresponding > Source", but it would depend on what was in the script.
I don't think it is helpful to evaluate whether a particular script is "trivial" or not (the script in question, namely the "bootstrap" script included with Automake, is 62 lines according to sloccount). I think what is important is whether or not a script (excluding "generally available free programs which are used unmodified") was _actually used_ to generate the configure file and whatever other generated object code which is in the tarball. - if yes, it should be included in the distribution. - if no, it need not be included. Automake has a script called "bootstrap", the documentation says it is used to generate configure (and other files), presumably it was actually used for this purpose, and therefore it should be included. Cheers, Nick
