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Re: A possible GFDL compromise



On Mon, 2003-08-25 at 01:28, Fedor Zuev wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Aug 2003, Josselin Mouette wrote:
> 
> >Le dim 24/08/2003 ? 14:57, Sergey V. Spiridonov a ?crit :
> >> BTW, I understand, FDL with invariant section infringements freedoms of
> >> the distributor, as Debian. Distributor is the last instance where the
> >> software package can be modified before it will be delivered to user.
> >> Distributor have more control of the package contents in this case. So
> >> FDL shifts control over specific parts of the documentation to software
> >> author.
> 
> >Do you realize you are reasoning just like the proprietary software
> >folks the FDL is supposedly meant to fight ?
> 
> 	No. Freedom of _distributor_ is not an issue for the free
> software _at_ _all_. No written document says that goal of a free
> software is to promote freedom of a mere distributors (besides, of
> course, the freedom to distribute itself). Free software is about
> the freedom of _users_ and _authors_.

No, free software is about freedom for *everyone*, regardless of stupid
labels *you* invent. I'm a "user", "author", and "distributor"; do I
only need 1/3rd as much freedom as a normal user? I sure hope not.

> It is in the best interest of users to receive unstripped version of
> manual.

It is also in the best interest of users to recieve a manual they can
use, modify, and distribute, like they want, provided they prevent no
one else from doing so.

> It is also in the best interest of authors.

Except the GFDL takes freedom away from authors. What it *adds* is not
freedom, but control - the original author of the document is exercising
control over all subsequent authors and users.

> Interest of distributor is non-issue.

So go start your own undistributable GNU/Linux distribution. As a
distributor, Debian doesn't consider our interest a non-issue.

Your arguments get stupider with each new message of yours I read. Let's
fix that.

*plonk*
-- 
Joe Wreschnig <piman@debian.org>

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