Re: Debian i386 freeze

[Raul Miller <rdm@test.legislate.com>]

Brian White <bcwhite@verisim.com> wrote:
> I've decided to leave the kde stuff in contrib for Hamm.  We can change it
> for Slink if it is deemed necessary at the time.

Considering the confusion the kde folks have brought to bear on this
issue, this is probably an acceptable tact to take.  However, I'd like
to see something like the following in the hamm release notes:


                      "CONTRIB" IS NOT A PART OF DEBIAN
  
  NOTE: It's not clear whether or not we have the right to distribute
  kde binaries.  This is a general problem involving GPL'd code where
  the binaries require certain kinds of non-free code so it may be that
  other code in contrib has similar problems.  Please be careful about
  deciding whether or not you wish to distribute these binaries.

  On the one hand, other linux distributors (such as Red Hat and SuSE)
  are distributing these binaries as if they were free software.  On
  the other hand, just because other people are doing it doesn't make
  it right.  On the third hand, the KDE folk have implied that it's
  ok to distribute these kind of binaries.  On the fourth hand, they've
  never addressed the underlying issue:  their license requires that
  all the code which went into the binaries be distributed under terms
  where you can modify the source code and redistribute the result, but
  they're using Qt, and Qt forbids such use.

  We'd like to see this issue resolved, but only the KDE folks can
  do this.  The public statements by the KDE folks lead us to believe
  that they intend to do something to make KDE binaries legally
  redistributable as free software so we are not taking any action
  at this time.  However, in good conscience we cannot pretend that
  this issue does not exist.  Take care.

-- 
Raul


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