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Re: DFSG status of DFARS clause?



On 14 Oct 2001, Aaron M. Ucko wrote:

> 	All Rights Reserved. RESTRICTED RIGHTS LEGEND: Use,
> 	duplication, or disclosure by the government is subject
> 	to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c) (1) (ii)
...
> in a license violate the DFSG?

I guess it depends on those restrictions.  If those restrictions violate
DFSG then yes.  But they probably don't, making the situation a little
more complex :}

> On the one hand, it appears to discriminate against the US government;

Perhaps that "anti-discrimination" clause needs to be clarified.  It is
intended to discourage software that, for example, says "you may use this
software only for non-commercial purposes" or "you may not use this
software in any country that does not meet X criteria."  I personally do
not think that a license that imposes restrictions on certain groups
should count as violating the anti-discrimination clause in the case that
all the restrictions are DFSG-ok.

Otherwise there is a situation where something that permits additional
rights to certain groups might be non-free, whereas something that denies
those rights to everyone is in free.  If those rights are not
DFSG-related, I think that is silly.

But then I have no official capacity in this at all, so :}



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