Re: GFDL Freeness and Cover Texts
It can be misleading or wrong, and you'll never be able to take it
out.
But what if it isn't? Must we only have the black-and-white distinction that
invariant sections or cover texts are never allowed, or could we allow them if
they are truthful?
In my case my only desire is to guarantee that the reader will know where the
documents came from, so they can look for more or others like it. There is no
question that the articles came from where the cover text says they came from,
so I can't see how this argument applies.
While I acknowledge that there is a problem similar to the BSD advertising
clause, in that many revisions can cause the accumulation of cover texts, I
don't see how that argument really applies either. In the case of the old BSD
license, there is the problem of limited space in advertising media, and the
fact that complex software packages can get contributions from many people, so
the advertising credits get unwieldy.
But I don't expect that my articles could ever get so many revisions by so many
people - who all want their own cover texts, separately from mentioning the
Linux Quality Database - that it will ever be a problem during the period of
history where my articles could possibly still be found useful. And even if it
were, it could be managed by printing the cover text in a small font.
Mike
--
Michael D. Crawford
GoingWare Inc. - Expert Software Development and Consulting
http://www.goingware.com
crawford@goingware.com
Tilting at Windmills for a Better Tomorrow.
"I give you this one rule of conduct. Do what you will, but speak
out always. Be shunned, be hated, be ridiculed, be scared,
be in doubt, but don't be gagged."
-- John J. Chapman, "Make a Bonfire of Your Reputations"
http://www.goingware.com/reputation/
Reply to: