Understanding the GPL

[Ken Block USG <block at zk3 dot dec dot com>]

We are getting close to shipping the Compaq C++ compiler and we need to
make some packaging and licensing decisions. The compiler is definitely
not going to be GPL'd, but we want to make sure we are not violating the
GPL license of binutils.

All of the features and fixes we need for binutils have been
incorporated into the Linux version of binutils and should ship on Red
Hat 6.3 and SuSE 6.4. So we can just ship our compiler and we believe we
are fine. We would like, however, to be able to support our compiler on
earlier Linux distributions also.

To do this and have minimal impact on users of those distributions,
we've back ported all the fixes we need to Red Hat 5.2, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2
and SuSE 6.1, 6.3. We've produced source and binary RPMS. The question
has been raised if we can actually distribute these kits or if that
would be a violation of the license? And if we can redistribute how?

Would shipping our proprietary compiler on the same CD with a modified
version of binutils (with source) be a violation of the GPL? If so, want
would not be a violation?
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