Re: The invariant sections are not forbidden by DFSG

[Craig Sanders <cas@taz.net.au>]

On Sat, Feb 04, 2006 at 04:42:41PM -0800, Thomas Bushnell BSG wrote:
> Craig Sanders <cas@taz.net.au> writes:
> 
> > alternatively, print a single link to either the full documentation
> > (containing the invariant sections) or to just the invariant sections.
> 
> This might be a reasonable thing, but it is not what the GFDL requires.

actually, it is. the GFDL explicitly says that you can provide a link to
an internet site - and, contrary to loony zealot propaganda, it does not
say that you must operate or maintain that site yourself.

     If you publish or distribute Opaque copies of the Document
     numbering more than 100, you must either include a machine-readable
     Transparent copy along with each Opaque copy, or state in or with
                                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     each Opaque copy a publicly-accessible computer-network location
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     containing a complete Transparent copy of the Document, free of
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     added material, which the general network-using public has access
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     to download anonymously at no charge using public-standard network
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     protocols. If you use the latter option, you must take reasonably
     ~~~~~~~~~~
     prudent steps, when you begin distribution of Opaque copies in
     quantity, to ensure that this Transparent copy will remain thus
     accessible at the stated location until at least one year after the
     last time you distribute an Opaque copy (directly or through your
     agents or retailers) of that edition to the public.


linking to the FSF's own site would be a reasonable step to ensuring
that the transparent copy will remain accessible for at least a year.



this is for Opaque copies, such as printed on paper or even the
apocryphal and much-whinged-about coffee cup. for Transparent copies,
it doesn't matter - even the most pedantic whinger is going to find it
hard to credibly claim that having to include some extra files in the
document or in an appropriate directory is a huge inconvenience. it's
not. quit yer whining and find something useful to do.

craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas@taz.net.au>           (part time cyborg)