Re: generated source files, GPL and DFSG
** Matthew Garrett ::
> If you define source as "the preferred form for modification",
> then
> http://cvs.freedesktop.org/xorg/xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86
> /drivers/nv/nv_hw.c?rev=1.7&view=markup is not source. I, on the
> other hand, believe that it is an acceptable (though borderline)
> form of source. Do you believe that this file should be part of
> Debian?
My take: "preferred form for modification" is a phrase with two
verbs, ie, with many combinations of "preferred" by whom, and
"modification" by whom:
1. preferred (by the author) form for modification (by the author)
2. preferred (by the current licensor) form for modification (by the
current licensor)
3. preferred (by the current licensee) form for modification (by the
current licensee)
4. preferred (by the author) form for modification (by any third-party)
etc. etc. etc.
My opinion? Is that we *should* use the GPL definition, but we
should also clarify which combinations are acceptable. For instance,
the option (4) above can be non-free; OTOH, the option (3) is
clearly impractical (how can one guess which form will all of his
licensees prefer?)
If we think nv_hw.c is source, then our definition is closer to #2,
anyway.
--
HTH,
Massa
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