Re: [fluid-dev] Another application using FluidSynth announced

[Pedro Lopez-Cabanillas]

On Thursday 08 September 2011, Matt Giuca wrote:
> You can download the Xcode package from Apple (containing GCC and other 
> tools) to build Mac and iOS applications, and it doesn't cost money. Note 
> that "gratis" is not required by the GPL, anyway.
> 
> While it doesn't explicitly say "gratis", I believe that point is
> countered by the last two paragraphs of LGPL 2.1
[...]
> You said that Xcode is free. 

I've said that it is "gratis". And that GCC, the compiler included is also free 
software.

> I don't know much about Apple
> development, but from what I gather, even if you are allowed to build
> software for an emulator, it is still not possible to transfer or run
> compiled applications onto an Apple iOS device without the Apple
> developer fee. Am I wrong about this? 

You are wrong with the assumption that free software implies "gratis" as well. 
Quoting Richard Stallman:

"Since “free” refers to freedom, not to price, there is no contradiction 
between selling copies and free software. In fact, the freedom to sell copies 
is crucial: collections of free software sold on CD-ROMs are important for the 
community, and selling them is an important way to raise funds for free 
software development. Therefore, a program which people are not free to include 
on these collections is not free software."

"Free as in freedom", http://www.gnu.org/gnu/thegnuproject.html

Regards,
Pedro