Re: Bug#202723: perl-doc: Non-free manpage included

[Glenn Maynard <g_deb@zewt.org>]

On Mon, Jul 28, 2003 at 01:25:52AM +0200, Jakob Bohm wrote:
> > > So it does. It will have to be relicensed or removed.
> > 
> > I concur.  Alternatively, the package containing it could be moved to
> > non-free...
> 
> #pragma begin_sarcasm(1000)
> 
> Move perl to non-free?, things seem to be getting out of hand

No, the package containing it, which means creating a "perl-doc-non-free"
package.

Obviously, the author relicensing is by far the best option.

(snipped sarcastic rant apparently complaining that people actually
expect Debian to remain 100% Free Software)

> DFSG 1 says that the freedoms need only apply in the context of
> larger diverse distributions, and need not apply to individual
> files or even packages when those files or packages are taken
> out of context.  At least this appears to be the only meaningful
> reading of the phrase "...as a component of an aggregate
> software distribution containing programs from several different
> sources."

The license does not give permission to use the file as part of an
arbitrary aggregate software distribution--it only permits it when
aggregated with Perl.  I can't package it with "hello world", and if
that isn't enough, then it fails DFSG#1.

The license explicitly forbids this document's use with forked versions
of Perl.  It is clearly and unambiguously non-free.  Playing with the
words of the DFSG won't change that.

(I find your "reading" to have so little to do with DFSG#1 that I'm having
difficulty figuring out where to start, so I'll leave that to others.)

-- 
Glenn Maynard