The new GCC runtime library exemption

"Section 7 of GPLv3 explicitly allows copyright holders to exempt recipients of the software from specific terms of the license. Interestingly, people who redistribute the software have the option of removing those added permissions. The new GCC runtime library license is GPLv3, but with an additional permission as described in Section 7. That permission reads:

"You have permission to propagate a work of Target Code formed by combining the Runtime Library with Independent Modules, even if such propagation would otherwise violate the terms of GPLv3, provided that all Target Code was generated by Eligible Compilation Processes. You may then convey such a combination under terms of your choice, consistent with the licensing of the Independent Modules.

"Anybody who distributes a program which uses the GCC runtime, and which is not licensed under GPLv3, will depend on this exemption, so it is good to understand what it says. In short, it allows the runtime to be combined with code under any license as long as that code has been built with an "Eligible Compilation Process."

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