Re: If DFSG apply to non-software, is GPL*L* incompatible with DFSG?

[Walter Landry <wlandry@ucsd.edu>]

"Joe Llywelyn Griffith Blakesley" <dark1@myrealbox.com> wrote:

> Last year, when the controversy over whether the DFSG applies to
> documentation (in particular GNU-FDL-ed documentation), I meant to
> mention to someone (but promptly forgot) that the license under
> which the text of the FSF's licenses (GPL, LGPL, FDL) are licensed
> is much stricter than even the FDL so cearly violates the DFSG (if
> they apply to it).
> 
> The GPL &c are allowed to be copied only in full without any modifications.

Sigh.  Actually, you are allowed to modify the license terms.  You are
just not allowed to modify the preamble.

  http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#ModifyGPL

However, I'm sure that there are lots of other licenses whose terms
are not licensed in DFSG-free conditions.  My feel for the consensus
is that Debian generally makes an exception for license terms.

So you could certainly make the case that Debian should strip out the
preamble.  It hasn't seemed all that pressing, I guess.  There hasn't
been much abuse so far.

Regards,
Walter Landry
wlandry@ucsd.edu