Proposed addition to Debian web pages re: GNU FDL
I propose something like the following as an addition to the Debian web
pages, at the bottom of http://www.debian.org/intro/free. I offer this
up for revision and use by the Debian community, or anyone else.
Motivation: some people seem to wish to remain in denial about the
project's decision on this matter. This will help their psychological
problem. ;-)
<p>The so-called "GNU Free Documentation License" is <em>not</em> a free
software license, and accordingly works licensed only under this license
cannot generally go into Debian. A tremendous amount of background on
why Debian concluded this is available in the <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/";>archives of the
debian-legal mailing list</a>. Particularly notable posts and other
informative links:
<ul>
<li>Bruce Perens <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2003/debian-legal-200308/msg00690.html";>clarified</a>
that the DFSG is meant to apply to everything on the Debian CD.</li>
<li>Branden Robinson ran a survey regarding the freeness of the GFDL,
announced <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2003/debian-legal-200308/msg01031.html";>here</a>.</li>
<li>Nathanael Nerode's <a
href="http://home.twcny.rr.com/nerode/neroden/fdl.html>page</a> about
some of the problems with the FDL.</li>
</ul>
OK, so the list of references isn't the best... improve it. :-)
For starters, I can't find a good, clear one-message explanation of the
"technical means" clause problem. And I'd like to point to messages
explaining each of the problem examples (reference card, etc.),
preferably as few messages as possible. :-)
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