Revision 4 of DFSG
Remember, if you don't want a new DFSG at all, you can always vote it
down and argue against it when the proposal is made. In the mean
time, lets see if we can atleast make this the best wording we can.
Also, remember, I think the proposal needs to be worded so that the
DFSG ballot has an option with AND without the deprecated clauses so
now is not the time to try to get them removed...
Please let me know what you think, then.
- Darren
------------------------------ Cut Here -----------------------------
Debian Free Software Guidelines
-------------------------------
Anthony Towns <ajt@debian.org>
Darren Benham <gecko@debian.org>
draft version 2.4.1 18 January 1999
Copyright Notice
----------------
copyright ©1999 Anthony Towns & Darren Benham
This document is free software; you may redistribute it verbatim in
any format. You may modify this document and redistribute it in any
form so long as you change the title of this document. You may use
parts of this document for any purpose.
This is distributed _without any warranty_; without even the implied
warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
This document, in it's source form, exists in DebianDoc format. _Parts
marked <like this> are notes and questions and not part of the actual
document. They will be removed in the final work._
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contents
--------
1. Introduction
1.1. Application
2. Requirements
2.1. Use
2.2. Source Code
2.3. Distribution
2.4. Modified and Derived Software
2.5. Termination of License
3. Restrictions
3.1. Limitation of Liability
3.2. Notices of Authorship
3.3. Misrepresentation of Authors
3.4. License of Derived Works
3.5. Restrictions on charges
3.6. Availability of source code
3.7. Integrity of the Original Work
3.8. Fees for Distribution
4. Notes <This section, "Notes" is an explanation section to
help clarify the above document. It should not contain
anything that's not above and the document above should be
able to stand on it's own without the "notes" section>
4.1. Deprecated
4.2. Non-binding Requests
4.3. Weaker Restrictions
4.4. Source Code
4.5. Example Licenses
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Introduction
----------------
The Debian Free Software Guidelines define what it means for software
to be free as far as the Debian project is concerned. Software that
follows these guidelines is termed "DFSG-free".
These guidelines are separated into two sections: a list of freedoms
we require of DFSG-free software and a list of restrictions on those
freedoms that we are willing to accept.
1.1. Application
-----------------
These guidelines are intended to be applied to software programs, that
is, machine-readable programs that instruct a computer how to perform
specific tasks, and items directly related to such programs, and any
accompanying documentation. These guidelines do not, however, refer to
other documents, most notably opinion pieces, documents from standards
bodies and other non-executable works. In addition, documentation that
does not accompany the software it documents is also not covered by
these guidelines.
<OR>
These guidelines are intended to be applied to software programs, that
is, machine-readable programs that instruct a computer how to perform
specific tasks and its source code. These guidelines do not, however,
refer to documentation and other non-executable works, including
program documentation, opinion pieces, and documents from standards
bodies.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Requirements
----------------
2.1. Use
---------
Anyone must be able to use the software in any way without paying a
fee or royalty. <Not specifically part of the old DFSG>
<This does not prohibit the author from asking for donations as long
as the donations are completely voluntary.>
2.2. Source Code
-----------------
Source code must be freely available. <Old DFSG point 2>
2.3. Distribution
------------------
Anyone must be able to give away or sell copies of the executables and
sources without paying a fee or royalty. However, nobody can be
required to distribute the software.
<Old DFSG point 1. Also part of Old DFSG point 5 & 6 unless you think
the DFSG needs a phrase like "does not discriminate" instead of
"anyone". Point 8 could also be part of this but this phrase would
cover more than just Debian. For example, under the old DFSG, software
could bar Red Hat from distributing it and still be DFSG (at least as
far as point 8.)>
<The license may not make any restrictions on who redistributes the
software or how that work is redistributed.>
2.4. Modified and Derived Software
-----------------------------------
Anyone must be able to use and distribute the software (source or
executables) with modifications and anyone must be able to distribute
software that uses parts of the licensed source. <part of old DFSG
point 3 and part of point 7>
2.5. Termination of License
----------------------------
The license must remain valid until the licensee terminates it or the
terms of the license are violated. <Not part of the old DFSG>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Restrictions
----------------
3.1. Limitation of Liability
----------------------------
<I had a second thought.... what would this have to do with the
"freeness" of a given piece of software? Maybe it doesn't belong in a
DFSG document>
The license can give any warranty or no warranty. It can also have
notices saying the copyright holder is not responsible for errors and
omissions in the software.
_or_<which is better or something else?>
It may be a condition of the license that the copyright holders are
not held legally responsible for errors and omissions in the software
(in so far as permitted by applicable law).
<Not part of old DFSG>
3.2. Notices of Authorship
---------------------------
The license may require the copyright, license, and any associated
disclaimers be prominently displayed in the original software or any
derived software. The license may require such notices to be
displayed:
* during execution of the software
* in the source code
* in the documentation
* in advertising materials (deprecated)
<Not part of the old DFSG>
3.3. Misrepresentation of Authors
----------------------------------
The license may restrict the use of names and trademarks of the
copyright holders in association with modifications of the original
software.
<Not part of the old DFSG>
<It can restrict the unauthorized use of the names and trademarks of
the copyright holders even to promote something derived from the
original software>
3.4. License of Derived Works
------------------------------
The license can require modified and derived software be distributed
under the same license or the general requirement "any compatible
license." <Also part of old DFSG point 7>
The license can impose license restrictions on the third party
software (such as libraries) necessary to compile the licenses
software as long as the restrictions are compatible with the original
license.
The license my not impose restrictions on third-party software that
merely resides on the same system or distribution as the licensed
software.
3.5. Restrictions on charges
-----------------------------
The license can restrict the amount charged for the software as long
as it allows the licensee to charge at least a reasonable distribution
fee. The license can not restrict the cost of other software included
on the same distribution and it can not restrict the cost of the
distribution as a whole.
3.6. Availability of source code
---------------------------------
The license may require that a reasonable attempt be made to make the
source code available in addition to the executables of the software.
<Not specifically part of the old DFSG>
3.7. Integrity of the Original Work
------------------------------------
The license may use any of the following methods to ensure the
integrity of the original work: <Old DFSG point 4>
3.7.1. Change log
------------------
Modifications to software may be required to be summarized. The
summaries may be:
* included in the source code of the modified software.
* included in documentation accompanying the modified software.
* displayed when the software is executed (for interactive
programs)
<Is there anywhere else they could be summarized that we'd accept?>
3.7.2. Versioning and Renaming
-------------------------------
Releases of modified software may be required to use a different
version number or name than the official releases
3.7.3. Concurrent installation of Official and Derived Works (deprecated)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modified software may be required to be able to exist on the same
system as the official release of the software. <For example by
requiring derived works to use different executable names to the
official release.>
3.7.4. Original source (deprecated)
------------------------------------
Distribution of modified software may be required to be accompanied by
an offer to distribute the original source code.
3.7.5. Patch clause (deprecated)
---------------------------------
Source level modifications may be required to be distributed as the
original source with a list of differences.
3.8. Fees for Distribution
---------------------------
The license may place restrictions on the amount of the fee that the
licensee my charge for distributing the unmodified software. However,
the restriction must at least allow the licensee to recoup the costs
involved in distributing the software. It may not restrict other
software that merely resides on the same system or distribution as the
licensed software.
<This means that even though _this_ software may not be sold for
profit, it may still be included on a CD that is sold for profit.>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Notes <This section, "Notes" is an explanation section to help clarify
the above document. It should not contain anything that's not above and the
document above should be able to stand on it's own without the "notes"
section>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.1. Deprecated
----------------
By deprecated, we mean this is allowed but discourage and disliked.
These items may be done away with in future versions. Also, software
without deprecated clauses are recommended over software that have
licenses with such clauses.
4.2. Non-binding Requests
--------------------------
The license may make any number of non-binding requests. These should
be clearly separated from the binding section of the license.
4.3. Weaker Restrictions
-------------------------
The license may make weaker restrictions than the above.
4.4. Source Code
-----------------
These guidelines use the term "source code" in the same way as does
the GNU General Public License version 2: the source code for a work
means the preferred form of the work for making modifications to it.
4.5. Example Licenses
----------------------
As examples, we consider the following licenses DFSG-free:
* the Artistic License
* the BSD License
* the MIT/X Consortium License
* the GNU General Public License (GPL)
* the GNU Library General Public License (LGPL)
* the Mozilla Public License (MPL)
* the Q Public License (QPL)
<This list is a list of possibilities. Before the document would be
released, the list would be modified to mention the licenses that
truly do fit>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Debian Free Software Guidelines
Anthony Towns <ajt@debian.org>, Darren Benham <gecko@debian.org> -
draft version 2.4.1 18 January 1999
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