On Mon, Nov 28, 2005 at 06:05:34PM -0800, Mark Mitchell wrote: > Back in 1999, Torbjorn Granlund posted: > > http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/1999-07n/msg00553.html > > That message contains an IEEE floating-point emulation library, like > fp-bit.c. Howeve, the performance is considerably better; Joseph > measured against fp-bit.c with a modern compiler, and ieeelib.c is about > 10-15% better than the current code on EEMBC on a PowerPC 440. > > So, we're considering doing what it takes to get ieeelib.c into GCC, or, > perhaps, borrowing some of its ideas for fp-bit.c. > > In his original message, Torbjorn indicated that Swox AB (the company of > which he is CEO) donated the code, and the old copyright file had an > entry for Torbjorn, though not Swox AB. I've contacted Torbjorn, and > he'd still like to see ieeelib.c in GCC. Is there any copyright issue > that would prevent inclusion of this code? Assuming all the technical > bits were in order, would we need to get the FSF involved in any way > before including the code?
Well, the problem is that you're raising a legal technicality, and legal technicalities are up to the FSF. Maybe they'll have no problem, especially if Swox AB basically is Torbjorn. If there is a problem, and Torbjorn is still CEO of Swox AB, it should be no problem (other than the delay) to do new paperwork, and maybe RMS would be OK with it going in now as long as we're sure that everything will be done by release time. But I do think we have to ask.
