Is the GPL free?
I was wondering about the GPL and its restrictions. Not the GPL programs, but
the GPL license text itself.
(from /usr/share/common-licenses/GPL)
# Copyright (C) 1989, 1991 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
# 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
# Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies
# of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.
Then I go look at the DFSG:
(from http://www.debian.org/social_contract)
# 3.Derived Works
#
# The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them
# to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original
# software.
Something odd is going on. GPL'ed programs are free (according to the DFSG),
but the GPL itself is not?
I can see two possible solutions:
1. Move the entire /usr/share/common-licenses and all the non-DFSG
/usr/{,share}/doc/*/copyright files to a non-free package.
2. (IMNSHO the best option) Add an exception to the DFSG saying that the
license files do not need to comply with item 3 (the license file is part of
the source packages after all).
The usual disclaimers apply; I'm not a Debian developer, and I'm not subscribed
to the lists.
Note that I crossposted this message to -devel and -legal; I think the
discussion should be carried on -legal only.
--
Cesar Eduardo Barros
cesarb@web4u.com.br
cesarb@dcc.ufrj.br
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