Re: Bug#212895: Official Logo is not DFSG Free (with patch)
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar@debian.org> wrote:
> please keep the Cc: on any replies.
> > When originally written, it was intented that the DFSG apply to the
> > entire content of main.[1] We have (to my knowledge) consistently
> > interpreted it this way.
>
> For documentation I can still understand the reasoning but a logo?
> A logo in order to be a a logo has to be very strictly defined. A long
> time ago I used to work for Merrill Lynch. They had a thick book of
> guidelines about how the logo could be used. In fact everytime we did a
> website the logo usage had to cleared by lawyers. A comparison can be
> made to a license. Just because the GPL says "Everyone is permitted to
> copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing
> it is not allowed." does that make any packages containing it non-free?
> It is totally legitimate for the Debian logo to be much more restricted
> than software or even documentation.
Right, but that's not the issue. It isn't whether the logo license
allows its use in Debian packages, it whether main allows non-free
logos. Current concensus says it does not. Everything in main should
be free.
> > I'm not discussing the legality of your distribution of the official
> > logo, merely the fact that the offical logo is not free.
> >
>
> So make it free then (If you don't find my argument above persuasive.)
> Unlike the GNU documentation case (where I note we are exercising a lot of
> patience before chucking things out) we control the logo and its license.
> I don't think any GR or anything would be necessary either. In fact
> probably anyone with CVS access to the web pages could do it.
>
> I think its the height of absurdity that Debian can't even use its own
> logo in its own packages. I'd like to see that fixed.
Work is progressing on making the unofficial logo DSFG-compliant.
Then you will be able to use that one instead.
Peter
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