Re: Practical Problems with the GFDL
Barak Pearlmutter said:
> I see a few practical problems with the GFDL:
>
> - incompatibility with the GPL
To expand on this a bit, this means that documents that are derived from
GPLd source (by extracting info from comments, or analysing the code itself)
are inconsistantly licensed. The part of the document that is a derivative
work must be distributed "under the terms of [the GPL]" or they can not be
distributed at all.
> - possibility of obsolescence, via dated invariant sections
In addition, if invariant sections are changed (by the copyright holder),
for example to update the mailing address of the FSF, and a work is made
combining the new work with an older (different) work with the old invariant
section, you must include both versions of the invariant section.
They both must have the same title (as they had before) and the only
difference is the address at the end. Confusing to the user?
> - difficulty in modifying invariant sections of GFDLed documents not
> under unified central control (need permission from many
> contributors or their estates/agents, which becomes more difficult
> with time)
In addition, it is not clear exactly who needs to give permission in order
to modify an invariant section.
If there are multiple contributors to the technical matter, do they all need
to give permission to modify the invariant section? Or just the original
author of the invariant section?
(For the "misrepresentation" crowd, this may mean that if you write an
invariant section and later change your mind, any contributor can prevent
you from updating your invariant section)
>
> - can be very difficult or impossible to repurpose chunks (eg copy
> regexp chapter)
Or use chunks in manuals unrelated to the original.
>
> - does not "lead by example" (if all software used the GPL, all code
> would be freely available and sharable. if all documentation used the
GFDL, differences in invariant sections and cover matter would impede
sharing. perhaps licenses should lead by example to the world we all want:
a world where sharing is always unimpeded)
Also since you can not use parts of a manual if one of its invariant
sections is non-secondary to the work you're creating.
--Joe
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