Re: Request licence review

[Ben Finney <bignose+hates-spam@benfinney.id.au>]

Andrew Sidwell <andy@entai.co.uk> writes:

> I'd really like to adopt a new manual, but it's by someone we can't
> contact, and it's under a custom licence:
>
> Redistribution of unaltered copies of this document is permitted without
> restriction.  Distribution of altered copies is permitted without
> restriction as long as the alteration does not significantly alter the
> content (For example, translation and conversion to another format is
> permitted.).  Distribution of all other altered copies is permitted as
> long as credit for previous authors is maintained, the contact
> information is replaced with that of the alterer, and redistribution is
> not further restricted.
>
>
> I'd just like to check if this is DFSG-free or not; I think it is

I think it isn't. Freedom to make changes is required under the DFSG,
and this license doesn't grant that freedom: it restricts it with the
(vague) "as long as the alteration does not significantly alter the
content".

Whatever "significantly" means, it's non-DFSG-free to forbid changes
to the work that are "significant".

-- 
 \         "I went over to the neighbor's and asked to borrow a cup of |
  `\    salt. 'What are you making?' 'A salt lick.'"  -- Steven Wright |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney