Re: Fields of Endeavor (was Re: [Fwd: Intent to package: pm3])

[Mark Wielaard <mark@klomp.org>]

On Tue, Aug 03, 1999 at 11:30:11AM +0200, Richard Braakman wrote:
> 
> I wasn't thinking of the fields of endeavour clause, but simply this one:
> 
>      Free Redistribution
>           The license of a Debian component may not restrict any party from
>           selling or giving away the software as a component of an
>           aggregate software distribution containing programs from several
>           different sources. The license may not require a royalty or other
>           fee for such sale.
> 
> We've interpreted this to exclude any kind of postcardware, adware, or
> restrictions on use.  "If you use this software, you must pet a cat"
> fails the DFSG on this point.
Don't these examples restrict the use of the software?
The GPL doesn't restrict the use (only the distribution) of software.

> [...] But "If you distribute this software without source code,
> you must accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years,
> to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically
> performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the
> corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of
> Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software
> interchange" apparently does not.  Why not?

This only applies to a program/binary derived from the source.
You are always free to distribute the original source (clause 1).
(Or modified source for that matter - clause 2).
And you also have the option to distribute the program with the
complete source or accompany it with information where the original
source can be found (clause 3a and 3c).

Cheers,

Mark