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Re: non-DFSG section and CD distributers



Brian Mays <brian@debian.org>
> Anyone making a CD-ROM that includes Debian
> (especially lazy CD-ROM manufacturers) will know that the packages in
> "non-free" are potentially dangerous to include on their CD (due to
> "patents or other legal issues that make their distribution
> problematic") and should be handled individually.

That's probably the most important reason to keep the name "non-free".
It's to tell people "you'd better read the license of this program".
In many cases they find that they _can_ put the software on CD or make
commercial use of it, but this is not a decision _we_ want to make for
them.

Our very worst CD manufacturer (clue: he made an unbootable CD) said to
me "of course I know to check out anything I find in a non-free directory". 
I'd hate to make things worse for him.

	Bruce
-- 
Can you get your operating system fixed when you need it?
Linux - the supportable operating system. http://www.debian.org/support.html
Bruce Perens K6BP   bruce@debian.org   NEW PHONE NUMBER: 510-620-3502


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