On Mon, Jul 07, 2003 at 09:59:34PM -0700, Matt Kraai wrote: > On Tue, Jul 08, 2003 at 02:24:25PM +1000, Ben Finney wrote: > > The "packages" page at <http://www.debian.org/distrib/packages> > > currently says: > > > > ===== > > Non-US/Main and Non-US/Non-Free > > These packages cannot be exported from the USA, they are mostly > > encryption software packages, or software that is encumbered by patent > > issues. Most of them are free, but some are non-free. > > ===== > > > > The point about encryption software is out of date since we can get any > > crypto software exported from the USA these days. The last sentence is > > needlessly vague. > > The thread > > http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2002/debian-legal-200207/msg00029.html > > documents the exact rationale for these sections. The following > patch incorporates its conclusions into the packages page. > > I'd appreciate it if the readers of debian-legal would > double-check it. What I saw in that thread was Wichert saying that things in non-US needed to be there because of patents, and Steve Langasek saying that that those things needed to be in non-US/non-free. That's not what I see below. > - <dt><em>Non-US/Main</em> and <em>Non-US/Non-Free</em></dt> > - <dd>These packages cannot be exported from the USA, they are mostly > - encryption software packages, or software that is encumbered by > - patent issues. Most of them are free, but some are non-free.</dd> > + <dt><em>Non-US/Main</em></em></dt> > + <dd>Packages in this area are free themselves but cannot be > + stored on a server in the USA because they are encumbered by > + patent issues.</dd> Things in main or non-US/main should not be patent encumbered. non-US/main is designed so that packages can be imported into the US, but not exported. If it would not fit the DFSG for any reason, including being patent-encumbered in the US or other places, then it does not belong in non-US/main. > + <dt><em>Non-US/Non-Free</em></dt> > + <dd>Packages in this area do not necessarily cost money, but > + have some onerous license condition restricting use or > + redistribution of the software. They cannot be exported from > + the USA because they are encryption software packages or they > + cannot be stored on a server in the USA because are encumbered > + by patent issues.</dd> Things that belong in non-US, but are patent-encumbered or otherwise fail to meet the DFSG for any reason belong in non-US/non-free. This includes things that would be eligible for the crypto-in-main transition were they free, but in fact are not. For example, IDEA code belongs here. One final nitpick: please properly capitalize "non-US", "non-free", and "main". -- Brian M. Carlson <sandals@crustytoothpaste.ath.cx> 0x560553e7 "Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable. Let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all." --Douglas Adams
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