Re: Proposed: Debian's Five Freedoms for Free Works
> 1) The freedom to use the Work for any purpose.
> 2) The freedom adapt the Work to one's needs. Access to the form of the
^to
> work which is preferred for making modifications (for software, the
> "source code"), if applicable, is a precondition for this.
> 3) The freedom to redistribute copies of the Work.
> 4) The freedom to change the Work for any purpose[1], to distribute
> one's changes, and to distribute the Work in modified form. Access
> to the form of the work which is preferred for making modifications,
> if applicable, is a precondition for this.
What's the difference between "change ... for any purpose" (#4)
and "adapt ... to one's needs" (#2)? If they mean the same thing
then one of them is superfluous. It they mean different things
then the difference should be made clearer.
Looking at the FSF original, I see that #2 is the freedom to
"study how the program works ... and adapt ...". I think you
should restore the word 'study', since that seems to be the
essence of the second FSF freedom. Also, access to source is
a precondition for studying a program, but not necessary for
adapting a program. I can "adapt" Microsoft Windows to my needs
without the source code.
By the way, it would be better if you preserved the FSF's numbering
for these freedoms: FSF numbers them from zero through three.
The fifth freedom you add is addressed on the FSF's page, even
though it is not enumerated as one of the Four Freedoms:
You should also have the freedom to make modifications
and use them privately in your own work or play, without
even mentioning that they exist.
So this raises the question: Why not just reference the FSF page?
If you have quibbles with the FSF definition, you could submit
patches to the FSF.
Thanks
--
Thomas
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