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Apple doesn’t support it because GPLv3 requires that you are actually able to run the modified source code (not just see, change and distribute). While they pro

Apple doesn’t support it because GPLv3 requires that you are actually able to run the modified source code (not just see, change and distribute). While they probably could do that on macOS, macos and iOS share the same kernel and many common source trees. So by providing macOS software with GPLv3 code, some of that code could potentially be shipped with iOS which would land them in hot water because you are not able to just execute code on iOS. Even with a developer license, you couldn’t just recompile the kernel (or even Library) and replace it with the default one. Edit: Here is more information about that: > Protecting Your Right to Tinker > Tivoization is a dangerous attempt to curtail users' freedom: the right to modify your software will become meaningless if none of your computers let you do it. GPLv3 stops tivoization by requiring the distributor to provide you with whatever information or data is necessary to install modified software on the device. This may be as simple as a set of instructions, or it may include special data such as cryptographic keys or information about how to bypass an integrity check in the hardware. It will depend on how the hardware was designed—but no matter what information you need, you must be able to get it. Source: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/quick-guide-gplv3.en.html https://www.gnu.org/licenses/quick-guide-gplv3.en.html That means if there was GPLv3 code in iOS, Apple would have to send you their private keys to sign any source code so you can run it on iOS.

ajross 8y ago
The product in question is bash, though, which doesn't ship on iOS at all and which obviously could be (and should be) modifiable on OS X.
LukeShu 8y ago
Sure. But iOS doesn't have Bash (I don't think, even if it does: Then just ship GPLv2 Bash on iOS, and modern Bash on macOS where users might actually care). The GPLv3 of Bash doesn't infect the shared kernel or libraries between iOS and macOS, it's just the `/bin/sh` program. It's easy enough to check if it's being included in iOS. "The reason we can't ship modern Bash on macOS is that we're concerned we might accidentally include Bash on iOS."? (and /bin/sh on macOS is already sufficiently user-modifiable to satisfy GPLv3)
- deleted 8y ago
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- Matt3o12_ 8y ago
  Apple is pretty firm on no GPLv3 because accidentally shipping it on iOS can be pretty dangerous for them. Whether you agree with the decision to just not ship GPLv3 software (I don’t), I can understand apples concerns regarding GPLv3. Furthermore, it wouldn’t surprise me if iOS had bash support even for just debug builds and Apple either had to worry about testing, building and maintaining two version of bash and still risk getting them mixed up and accidentally shipping some parts of the bash source code. This much easier to just never use GPLV3
  - ajross 8y ago
    > accidentally shipping it on iOS can be pretty dangerous I read the same argument about GPLv2 in like 1994. To date, there remains no case law I'm aware of where a copyright holder "lost" anything by "accidentally" shipping GPL software. How many decades does it take for us to put this myth to rest?
    - int_19h 8y ago
      A lot, because it's hard to derive meaningful conclusions from something that's used so relatively little precisely because of licensing concerns. Anyway, with v2, the concerns were more vague - you'd have to accidentally link something GPLv2. With v3, even just shipping the binary signed with a private key on a platform that requires said key to load it, is enough to potentially force disclosure of that key (and that is by design of GPLv3 - it wants to kill the TiVo model).
      - ajross 8y ago
        Right, so the risk can't be quantified and the whole thing is just isomorphic "because I don't like it". Which was as true then as it is now. It's not about license terms, it's about what amounts to politics.

ajross 8y ago

The product in question is bash, though, which doesn't ship on iOS at all and which obviously could be (and should be) modifiable on OS X.

LukeShu 8y ago

Sure. But iOS doesn't have Bash (I don't think, even if it does: Then just ship GPLv2 Bash on iOS, and modern Bash on macOS where users might actually care). The GPLv3 of Bash doesn't infect the shared kernel or libraries between iOS and macOS, it's just the `/bin/sh` program. It's easy enough to check if it's being included in iOS. "The reason we can't ship modern Bash on macOS is that we're concerned we might accidentally include Bash on iOS."? (and /bin/sh on macOS is already sufficiently user-modifiable to satisfy GPLv3)

deleted 8y ago
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Matt3o12_ 8y ago
Apple is pretty firm on no GPLv3 because accidentally shipping it on iOS can be pretty dangerous for them. Whether you agree with the decision to just not ship GPLv3 software (I don’t), I can understand apples concerns regarding GPLv3. Furthermore, it wouldn’t surprise me if iOS had bash support even for just debug builds and Apple either had to worry about testing, building and maintaining two version of bash and still risk getting them mixed up and accidentally shipping some parts of the bash source code. This much easier to just never use GPLV3
- ajross 8y ago
  > accidentally shipping it on iOS can be pretty dangerous I read the same argument about GPLv2 in like 1994. To date, there remains no case law I'm aware of where a copyright holder "lost" anything by "accidentally" shipping GPL software. How many decades does it take for us to put this myth to rest?
  - int_19h 8y ago
    A lot, because it's hard to derive meaningful conclusions from something that's used so relatively little precisely because of licensing concerns. Anyway, with v2, the concerns were more vague - you'd have to accidentally link something GPLv2. With v3, even just shipping the binary signed with a private key on a platform that requires said key to load it, is enough to potentially force disclosure of that key (and that is by design of GPLv3 - it wants to kill the TiVo model).
    - ajross 8y ago
      Right, so the risk can't be quantified and the whole thing is just isomorphic "because I don't like it". Which was as true then as it is now. It's not about license terms, it's about what amounts to politics.