GNU Scientific Library, Release 2.5
Specifically, we want to make sure that you have the right to share copies of programs that you are given which use the
GNU Scientific Library, that you receive their source code or else can get it if you want it, that you can change these
programs or use pieces of them in new free programs, and that you know you can do these things.
To make sure that everyone has such rights, we have to forbid you to deprive anyone else of these rights. For example,
if you distribute copies of any code which uses the GNU Scientific Library, you must give the recipients all the rights
that you have received. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source code, both to the library and
the code which uses it. And you must tell them their rights. This means that the library should not be redistributed in
proprietary programs.
Also, for our own protection, we must make certain that everyone finds out that there is no warranty for the GNU
Scientific Library. If these programs are modified by someone else and passed on, we want their recipients to know
that what they have is not what we distributed, so that any problems introduced by others will not reflect on our
reputation.
The precise conditions for the distribution of software related to the GNU Scientific Library are found in the GNU
General Public License. Further information about this license is available from the GNU Project webpage Frequently
Asked Questions about the GNU GPL.
The Free Software Foundation also operates a license consulting service for commercial users (contact details available
from http://www.fsf.org.
1.3 Obtaining GSL
The source code for the library can be obtained in different ways, by copying it from a friend, purchasing it on CDROM
or downloading it from the internet. A list of public ftp servers which carry the source code can be found on the GNU
website, http://www.gnu.org/software/gsl/.
The preferred platform for the library is a GNU system, which allows it to take advantage of additional features in the
GNU C compiler and GNU C library. However, the library is fully portable and should compile on most systems with
a C compiler.
Announcements of new releases, updates and other relevant events are made on the info-gsl@gnu.org mailing list. To
subscribe to this low-volume list, send an email of the following form:
To: info-gsl-request@gnu.org
Subject: subscribe
You will receive a response asking you to reply in order to confirm your subscription.
1.4 No Warranty
The software described in this manual has no warranty, it is provided “as is”. It is your responsibility to validate the
behavior of the routines and their accuracy using the source code provided, or to purchase support and warranties from
commercial redistributors. Consult the GNU General Public License for further details.
1.5 Reporting Bugs
A list of known bugs can be found in the BUGS file included in the GSL distribution or online in the GSL bug tracker.
1
Details of compilation problems can be found in the INSTALL file.
1
http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=gsl
2 Chapter 1. Introduction