Re: Remove RMS from the GCC Steering Committee

[David Edelsohn <dje.gcc@gmail.com>]

On Wed, Mar 31, 2021 at 9:46 AM Florian Weimer <fw@deneb.enyo.de> wrote:
>
> * David Edelsohn via Gcc:
>
> > Has the GCC SC blocked any new port or major feature?  Not that I'm aware of.
>
> What about the plugin framework?  The libgcc licensing change would
> not have happened naturally.  Someone had to step in and delay the
> plugin framework feature until the licensing changes were in place.

I wrote blocked, not delayed.  In order to continue the alignment of
GCC with the FSF, the GCC SC agreed to delay deployment of LTO and
Plugins until a license to allow such features could be implemented.
We didn't feel that a rupture with the FSF would be beneficial.

Because I foresaw the need for such features and the need for the
license to accommodate it, I had been designing and negotiating with
the FSF for an appropriate license exception for years before LTO and
Plugins were proposed.  Richard Stallman, Richard Fontana, Brad Kuhn
and I all worked to resolve the issue.

I and other members of the GCC SC have worked diligently behind the
scenes to ensure that GCC and GNU Toolchain development can proceed as
smoothly and unhindered as possible.  We have prevented or resolved
many conflicts and issues without disturbing the broader community and
allow the community to focus on its important tasks and great progress
for the toolchain itself. I, at least, view that as my role as a
member of the GCC SC.  It's like a good manager: regardless of the
openness, hopefully the GCC community feels that the GCC SC "has their
back", manages the politics, and removes real or potential roadblocks
so that the software engineer can focus on being productive.

Thanks, David