Re: mpeg encoder patents, Was: Bug#501190: ITP: moonlight

[Reinhard Tartler <siretart@debian.org>]

Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> writes:

>> Depending on the requirements of ftp-master, which *seem* to think that
>> non-free were inappropriate for this kind of packages, my proposal tries
>> to address that by introducing a new archive section.
>>
>> I am aware that this is against our current technical policy. If my
>> proposal indeed adresses the concerns correct and we can implement it
>> technically, we'd need to adjust the policy as well.
>
>         You misunderstand.

I don't think so [1], ...

>  I think the current policy is correct; and main should always be self
>  contained.

... and disagree on this point.

> If you put stuff into a different archive, you need to split the
> source packages too (like we do the gfdl docs).

Why? The matter at hand here is not about freeness of the
software. non-free software already have a designated place outside
debian (the 'non-free' section). I'm talking here about a new place
inside debian.

>         So I think we need to modify the proposal, not the policy.

I'm happy to hear your suggestion.


[1] moreover, I suspect that you either actually object against the name
of the section ('patented'), or that you didn't really read the first
paragraph I quoted in this email. I've never been good at giving names,
maybe 'main2' would be better?

-- 
Gruesse/greetings,
Reinhard Tartler, KeyID 945348A4