Re: Bug#143063 acknowledged by developer (Bug#143063: fixed in mmix 1:0.0.20020615-3)

[Julian Gilbey <jdg@debian.org>]

reopen 143063
thanks

On Wed, Oct 02, 2002 at 12:18:16PM -0500, Debian Bug Tracking System wrote:
> This is an automatic notification regarding your Bug report
> #143063: mmix-src: why in non-free?,
> which was filed against the mmix-src package.
> 
> It has been closed by one of the developers, namely
> psanchez@skyrealms.org (Pablo S. Torralba).
> 
>    * While a confirmation for free redistribution is received, it should
>      remain in non-free (conflicts point four from DFSG) (closes: #143063)

Thanks for adopting the package.  However, I really do not understand
how it conflicts with point four:

DFSG point four:

  4. Integrity of The Author's Source Code

     The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified
     form _only if the license allows the distribution of "patch files" with
     the source code for the purpose of modifying the program at build time.
*    The license must explicitly permit distribution of software built from
*    modified source code. The license may require derived works to carry a
*    different name or version number from the original software. (This is a
     compromise. The Debian group encourages all authors to not restrict any
     files, source or binary, from being modified.)

Note the starred lines.

Now the mmix license (from boilerplate.w, minus markup):

    (c) 1999 Donald E. Knuth

    This file may be freely copied and distributed, provided that no
    changes whatsoever are made. All users are asked to help keep the
    MMIXware files consistent and ``uncorrupted,'' identical
    everywhere in the world. Changes are permissible only if the
    modified file is given a new name, different from the names of
    existing files in the MMIXware package, and only if the modified
    file is clearly identified as not being part of that package.

How does that go against the DFSG point four?  He permits changes,
modifications and redistribution thereof, but only if the file names
are modified and the changes are identified.

This is almost the same as TeX (which is a little less clear,
apparently), and the same as much of Knuth's other stuff which is in
main.

You may want to discuss this on -legal for their view (cc'ing).

   Julian

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      Julian Gilbey, Dept of Maths, Queen Mary, Univ. of London
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