&gt; I feel like you&#x27;re missing the point of the GNU GPL. The original idea behind the FSFs idea of open source was an ecosystem where every new development resulted in more open and free code.<p>First of all, &quot;FSF&#x27;s idea of open source&quot;?  They&#x27;d rather vigorously object to that phrasing. :)<p>But no, that was <i>exactly</i> my point: I&#x27;d argue that intentionally choosing to not allow the development of a library version of GCC, even under the GPL, caused a net <i>reduction</i> in the amount of Free Software in general, and copyleft-licensed Free Software in particular, that would otherwise have been developed.