What does GFDL do?

[Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>]

    > If the GPL were used, it would have to be accompanied by 6 pages
    > of additional invariant material.  That is still bigger than the
    > reference card.  Do you object to the GPL on these grounds?

    There's a critical difference here. The GPL can accompany the
    reference card. The invariant material must be in the reference card.

I explained months ago, and again last week, why this is not so.

    A similar issue has come up recently on -devel[2] regarding single files
    downloaded out of a tarball or a cvs repository. Hopefully it's clear
    that making the license available by reference is sufficient to allow
    people to download single files from a cvs repository.

"Making the license available by reference" does not satisfy the GPL.
The GPL must accompany the GPL-covered materials.  Access to the
program as a collection of files, in such a way that the user might
copy just part, is acceptable as long as you do not encourage people
to copy less than the whole that includes the GPL.