Re: A possible GFDL compromise: a proposal
On Saturday 20 September 2003 09:50, Richard Stallman wrote:
> > Manuals are not free software, because they are not software.
> > The DFSG very clearly treats "software" and "programs" as
> > synonymous.
>
> Richard, once and for all, please read
>
> http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2003/debian-legal-200308/msg00690.html
>
> Thanks for mentioning that message to me; nobody had mentioned to me
> before (at least since the start of 2003). It is a message from Bruce
> Perens, suggesting that the DFSG should be taken to mean something
> quite contrary to what it actually says.
>
> If you are willing to disregard the meaning of some of the words in
> the DFSG in order to reinterpret it, there is more than one way to do
> so. It is absurd to argue rigidly that "the DFSG obviously says
> exactly this" when what it actually says is something else.
If you are willing to disregard the explanation of the meaning of a text by
its author in order to reinterpret it, you're on the wrong way. It is absurd
to argue rigidly that "the DFSG obviously doesn't say that" when its author
says it is.
Mike
Reply to: