Alternatives to the Affero General Public License

["Gregor Richards" <grichards@ml1.net>]

Because the AGPL has some implementation issues that make it possibly
incompatible with the DFSG, I've been trying to find an alternative that
would still protect source-code redistribution on line.  Basically, I'm
trying to write a special exception to the GNU GPL that would add this
without some of the practical problems, and possibly with DFSG and OSI
compliance.  I'm not entirely clear on to what extent point 4 (Integrity
of The Author's Source Code) applies.  Clearly, the AGPL creates an
"invariant section" like the GFDL, which doesn't work.  My proposed
change works more like clause 2(c) of the GNU GPL.  There's no exact
code that needs to be kept, but a certain functionality does.  I don't
think this contradicts anything in the DFSG, but I'm no expert, and
would like your opinions.



Here's my proposition so far:


As an exception to the GNU General Public License, any user who wishes
to distribute modified copies of <program> (the Program) is also
required to abide by this additional rule:

If your work based on the Program is designed to interact with users
through a computer network, your work based on the Program must
prominently provide to all users who interact with it through a computer
network the opportunity to receive the complete source code for your
work based on the Program via that same network and the same protocol.
At your preference, or if that protocol lacks the means to send the
complete source code to the user, your work based on the Program may
instead use the HTTP protocol for this purpose. (Exception: if the
Program itself is designed to interact with users through a computer
network but does not normally provide this functionality, your work
based on the Program is not required to provide this functionality.)
    * Your work based on the Program does not need to functionally
    reproduce its own source code to fulfill this requirement. It may
    instead send a prefabricated archive of the source code, if you
    insure that the program in the prefabricated archive is the same as
    the program that will be interacted with through a computer network.
    * You may optionally exclude in this transmission or archive any
    files which serve only the purpose of configuring the Program, and
    contain no program logic, so long as their complete function is
    documented in the other files.
-- 
  Gregor Richards
  grichards@ml1.net

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