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Re: GFDL v2 draft 1 analysis [long]



Francesco Poli <frx@firenze.linux.it> wrote:
> What follows is my own analysis of the first draft of GNU FDL v2.
> I welcome any comments on my reasoning.

As you might expect from
my summary http://mjr.towers.org.uk/blog/2006/fdl#general
I agree with most of that reasoning, apart from:

> > [...] Both covers must also clearly and legibly identify you as
> > the publisher of these copies.
> 
> :::: Bad: is anonymous publication disallowed?

I don't think it matters.  Pseudonymous publication seems possible, but
we must watch out for developments on this uncertainty.

> [...]
> > If the Modified Version includes Ancillary Sections that contain no=20
> > material copied from the Work, you may at your option designate some=20
> > or all of these sections as invariant.
> 
> :::: Kills copyleft: anyone can add "Invariant Sections" to a GFDLed
> work

No, it's still copyleft, because it's still distributable under the same
licence.  However, it can go non-free, because FDL is not necessarily free.
Indeed, the copyleft means that the Invariant Section propaganda is always
present.  It's a copyleft, just not a sort that helps free software.

[...]
> I see that section 6a. (EXCERPTS) below seems to address the reference
> card issue: unfortunately special-casing short excerpts (with a
> hard-coded upper limit in length) is not the appropriate strategy to
> cure the problem, IMO [...]

I agree.  6a is simple sniping at an obvious example which illustrates
several of FDL's worst bugs.  FSF should realise that they need to fix
the sickness, not merely eliminate the worst symptoms.

Regards,
-- 
MJR/slef
My Opinion Only: see http://people.debian.org/~mjr/
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