Re: Q for all candidates: license and copyright requirements
Very interesting thread.
== In short ==
tarballs must be redistributable, unpacked debian source package
should be DFSG-free, debian binary package must be DFSG-free.
== Long ==
1. Upstream tarball is not debian source
Cause you cannot build/run/understand anything if you just have a
bunch of tarballs.
2. If tarball is not redistributable
It belongs in non-free, or must be repackaged to become redistributable
3. Debian source is tarball + debian diff/tar unpacked
I you would like to guarantee to the users that unpacked debian source
is DFSG we should hook into unpack (similar to DpkgSrc3.0 / quilt) and
remove DFSG blobs at maintainers discretion for example by parsing
debian/copyright.
4. Pristine tarballs on mirrors are a benefit
They are still our "build-dependency" both for source and binary
packages. But if we keep them pristine in the archive we will become
mirrors for those upstreams. And it will give our users an opportunity
to learn/study/use those DFSG blobs which are not part of debian
source (definition 3 above).
5. This will reduce maintenance time
This change will result in maintainers spending less time by recuding
effort required for packaging software with non-DFSG-pristine-tarball.
Debian developer time is precious and very limited and IMHO should be
used as efficiently as possible.
6. Above is inline with DFSG
DFSG are guidelines and this is my interpretation. I am not lawyer / DD.
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