question about the license of documentation in GPL packages
Hello.
We are packaging some of the software available at
http://libre.adacore.com/download/configurations
for the Debian distribution, and would like some clarification about a
license issue. The issue has been detected for ASIS, but probably
affects other packages as well.
The second paragraph in the webpage has changed since the last time we
have checked that the licensing is compatible with redistribution by
Debian. It now states
The software on this page is made available under the Free Software
licenses documented in the packages, typically the GNU General
Public License (GPL).
and the package carries a verbatim copy of the GPL version 3.
According to this mail
http://lists.adacore.com/pipermail/gtkada/2009-June/003789.html
That's correct, headers on source file have no/little legal significance.
The main and simple message is that all the software available
via the libre site, including svn.eu.adacore.com/anonsvn is provided
under the pure GPL license.
some dubious headers may be ignored in the *software* source code.
However, we are wondering whether the *documentation* is provided
under the pure GPL license or under the GFDL with invariants parts and
front cover texts. It contains a verbatim copy of the GFDL, and every
printed document starts with an explicit statement:
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
with the Invariant Sections being ``GNU Free Documentation License'', with the
Front-Cover Texts being
``ASIS-for-GNAT Reference Manual'',
and with no Back-Cover Texts.
We would appreciate a clarification, as the existence of invariant
sections and cover texts would force us to remove the documentation
from Debian.
Thank you for your help.
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