Re: Proposal to modify DFSG
On Thu, 13 May 2004 01:06:41 -0400, Paul M Foster <paulf@quillandmouse.com> said:
> I couldn't agree with this more. On the binary kernel drivers
> issue, well maybe....
> But specifically on the issues of documentation and licenses, it's
> patently obvious that this isn't "software" and shouldn't be treated
Patently obvious to whom? To me, computer related entities
can be divided into three categories: Hardware, Software, and
wetware: and documentation and licenses fall into software, by
elimination, if nothing else.
> as such. You can't go around randomly modifying RFCs and the
> GPL.
But I can create derivative documents from RFC's, as long as
I do not claim it is the RFC itself. I have, thus, usefully modified
the RFC, and renamed it in the process. I should be able to create
Manoj's clarified version of RFC 2822, and call it obfulgum, if I
wish.
> That's the whole point of them.
While I do not say modification is the whole point, I do aver
that it is a useful freedom.
> And yet, because you can't, they don't satisfy part of the DFSG, and
> thus must be removed? If this is what the DFSG actually means, then
> I believe it's past time to alter it. And if the Debian developers
> would rather amputate their arms than alter the DFSG as needed, then
> perhaps it's time to share governance of the Debian Project with
> _users_.
That'll be the day.
manoj
--
IBM Advanced Systems Group -- a bunch of mindless jerks, who'll be
first against the wall when the revolution comes... with regrets to
D. Adams
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/%7Esrivasta/>
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