Re: Bug#861263: debian-installer: zfs support
On 05/05/2017, Ben Hutchings <ben@decadent.org.uk> wrote:
> On Fri, 2017-05-05 at 20:27 +0100, Sam Kuper wrote:
>> On 05/05/2017, Ben Hutchings <ben@decadent.org.uk> wrote:
>> > On Fri, 2017-05-05 at 19:50 +0100, Sam Kuper wrote:
>> > > 1. Move ZFS *source* into "main". Would this be possible without
>> > > compromising Debian's "obviously prudent" arrangement?[1] Should I CC
>> > > debian-legal?
>> >
>> > This will not happen.
>>
>> Forgive my ignorance, but why will it not happen?
>
> The legal status of ZFSonLinux was discussed by the FTP team and DPL
> over a long period, with input from legal counsel, resulting in a
> decision to put it in the 'contrib' section. That decision is unlikely
> to be revisited soon.
Thanks. I have searched for such a discussion but have not yet found
it. Do you have a link to the discussion? Did its conclusions
definitely cover source distribution, or only binaries?
> [...]
>> If it can't be disabled, then let me rephrase my earlier question.
>> Does Debian distribute a Debian Installer that will install only
>> DFSG-compliant software, to which the facility to compile and run ZFS
>> could in principle be added? (After all, everything in "contrib" is
>> DFSG-compliant,[1] including the ZFS-related packages.) If so, please
>> could you provide me with a link to it?
> [...]
>
> ZFSonLinux binaries are non-free.
Your remark is surprising to me. It seems to contradict the
information I have encountered. For example, see:
https://packages.debian.org/search?keywords=zfs&searchon=names&suite=all§ion=all
Some of the packages listed there are in main, and are therefore DFSG
compliant.[0] The remainder are marked "[contrib]", and so must also
be DFSG-compliant,[0] albeit not necessarily GPLv2-compatible. None of
them are marked "[non-free]".
Additionally:
- The FSF regards the CDDL as a free software license.[1]
- Debian regards the MPL (to which the CDDL is very similar[2]) as a
DFSG-compliant license.[3]
So, I am not sure why you say that ZFSonLinux binaries are non-free.
Please could you explain?
Thank you again for answering my questions and for helping to provide
clarity about the prospect of Debian distributing an Installer with
some kind of ZFS on root option.
[0] https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-archive.html
[1] https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#CDDL
[2] http://www.crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:mss:9125:200412:dmcacncfamieofeochbn
[3] https://wiki.debian.org/DFSGLicenses#Mozilla_Public_License_.28MPL.29
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