Adam McKenna wrote:
If I use rcp to copy a work from one machine to another (both which are owned an exclusively used by me), this is making a copy but not distributing.The exact text of the FDL is:"You may not use technical measures to obstruct or control the reading or further copying of the copies you make or distribute."For the purposes of this clause, there are two kinds of copies that can be made.1) Copies that are made, but not distributed 2) Copies that are made and distributed In case #1, the only person who has access to the copies is the person whomade them. Assuming he hasn't employed a technical measure to prevent himself from reading or making further copies, he complies with the license.
Now, if I were to do that from my local wireless hotspot, anyone else on the hotspot has access to that copy while it is being transmitted. I'd like to keep the document private, so instead I use scp. But wait — encryption is a "technological measure to obstruct ... the reading or further copying of the copies [I] make." The people I am restricting from reading or further copying are my fellow wireless hotspot users.
It seems you have read the GFDL to say: "You may not use technical measures to obstruct or control the reading or further copying of the copies you make or distribute BY THE INTENDED RECIPIENT(S)."but that's not what it says, unfortunately. And if that is what it is intended to say, then why doesn't it? Its not like we didn't point this out to the FSF during the draft period. In addition, this effectively strikes the words "make or" leaving:
You may not use technical measures to obstruct or control the reading or further copying of the copies you distributebut surely interpretation which requires ignoring words should not be preferred?