Re: Are DFSG free package in non-us part of Debian?
[I forgot to mail this to -devel as well, thanks Joey!]
***** MS => Martin Schulze
MS> That's James' way. I won't try to read between the lines in such
MS> a case. :-)
Ok. :)
MS> If software can't be exported from the US it cannot be DFSG free.
I think the above proposition is false, read below.
MS> Please look into the DFSG which says:
MS> 1. Free Redistribution
[...]
MS> (However I have to admit that the restinction is not based on the
MS> "license" but on "patents" and "law").
Your admission is a key point.
I think that nor the words, neither the spirit of the DFSG can be
stretched in any way to say that gnupg is not DFSG free. Do you
agree? It's not gnupg license with prohibit it to be exported from
the States. What if some exotic country decided that C compilers are
to be subjected to export restriction, as they could be used to
compile crypto software? Would we put gcc out of main? :-)
MS> There is also a technical for objecting to your proposal: If a
MS> package *in* main depends on or recommends a package *outside of*
MS> main you'll get a showstopper if you try to install the package
MS> and don't have a non-US part handy. (think of a new Infomagic CD
MS> for example).
This is a good technical point at this moment. I think we should
work to overcome this limitations, as the present situation is
suboptimal.
Simply stated, I don't like the idea that perfectly free software
should be segregated out of Debian because of local country laws,
neither if that country happens to be so central for Debian.
>> Seconders?
MS> I hope not.
It's not an urgent issue, in my views, but I don't understand your
position here. Are you satisfied throwing out of Debian some good
free software package, as gnupg is, for example? I think we should
make our best efforts to spread the use of free software.
Thanks,
--
Davide G. M. Salvetti - IW5DZC [JN53fr] - <http://salve.home.ml.org/>
Have a look at Debian GNU/Linux: <http://www.debian.org/>.
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