Op zo 14-09-2003, om 17:48 schreef Etienne Gagnon: > I don't understand... > > Why go through all the trouble of writing a WDL? Why not stick with > using normal software licenses (GPL, LGPL, X11, BSD-3clauses,...) for > documentation? There are parts of the FDL that actually make sense, such as the fact that the definition of 'source code' is not necessarily the same for documentation as for computer programs; or the 'Endorsement sections', which seem to be primarily intended for standards documents; one can modify a document with an endorsement section, but that section, which could say that the document describes some standard, has to be removed, so that it is clear that the document no longer describes any standard. That doesn't mean they wrote their license perfectly; only that I can agree that a GPL is not perfect for all sorts of documentation, and that there is a need for a license intended for works with documentation purposes. > Anyway, the presence of invariant/opiniated/whatever > non-free parts in the body of the *licensed-work* will hardly ever meet > the requirement of the DFSG, unless the DFSG is amended. The DFSG doesn't forbid sections which require you to jump through a number of hoops to modify the work, as long as everybody has the same rights, and everything can be modified (safe the license or the license notice itself). I crafted my WDL with that in mind: make someone jump through hoops to be able to modify those particular sections, but *do* allow them to modify or remove those sections *in any case*. The alternative would have been to create a license which would not require anyone to jump through any hoops to amend or remove parts of the work, but it seems *very* unlikely that the FSF would accept that. And, after all, the whole idea was to give the FSF (or, perhaps, the community as a whole) a more or less acceptable alternative to the GFDL. I think creating an alternative is a better way to handle a situation like the current than constantly expressing your dislike with a certain license. Agreed, I wouldn't do that for each and every license out there, but I'd say the FSF is different in that they do, honestly, want to have free documentation. -- Wouter Verhelst Debian GNU/Linux -- http://www.debian.org Nederlandstalige Linux-documentatie -- http://nl.linux.org "Stop breathing down my neck." "My breathing is merely a simulation." "So is my neck, stop it anyway!" -- Voyager's EMH versus the Prometheus' EMH, stardate 51462.
Attachment:
signature.asc
Description: Dit berichtdeel is digitaal ondertekend