Re: Frontier Artistic License
Barry deFreese <bddebian@comcast.net> wrote:
> While working on liquidwar for the games team I came across some code
> that appears to be under the Frontier Artistic License. It seems that
> there are packages using it. Here is a copy of the text:
[...]
> 4. You may distribute the programs of this Package in object code or
> executable form, provided that you do at least ONE of the following:
>
> a) Distribute a Standard Version of the executables and library
> files, together with instructions (in the manual page or
> equivalent) on where to get the Standard Version.
>
> b) Accompany the distribution with the machine-readable source of
> the Package with your modifications.
[...]
> Section 3 is the one that concerns me a little but it seems that we
> allow the Artistic License so I wanted to be sure.
Short version: I think 4.b gives us a way through it that meets the
DFSG well enough. Others probably disagree.
Long version: it looks like it's based on Artistic License 1.0, which
has been criticised here and elsewhere as poorly-written. wdiff
suggests this one changes a few words that make it even vaguer. It
might be worth asking them to change it. Surely Clarified Artistic or
Artistic 2 wouldn't be a difficult sell?
Detailed version: I used the rc shell command wdiff
/usr/share/common-licenses/Artistic <{curl -s
http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2008/09/msg00133.html}
and found "{+script, suite, file, or} collection of {+scripts,}
{+suites, and/or} files" and "copyright {+statement} or [-copyrights]
{+statements}" in the definitions; a few minor punctuation,
capitalisation and tense changes; moving the private use permissions
(3b becomes 3a) and adding "{+or retain the modified Package solely
for personal use. }"; "7. [-C] {+Scripts, suites,} or [-perl
subroutines] {+programs} supplied by you [-and linked into] {+that
depend on or} {+otherwise make use of} this Package shall not be
considered part of this Package.".
My wdiff script is:-
#!/usr/bin/rc
if (~ $#* 2) {
nl='
' diff -ubB -U 256 <{tr ' ' $nl <$1} <{tr ' ' $nl <$2} \
| sed -e '1,3d;/^@@.*$/s//[...]/;/^+++ /d;/^--- /d;s/^-\(.*\)/\[-\1\]/;s/^+\(.*\)/{+\1}/;s/^ //' \
| tr $nl ' ' | fmt | sed -e 's/\] \[-/ /g;s/} {+/ /g;s/\[- *\]//g'
} else {
echo Usage: $0 file1 file2 >[1=2]
}
The above is in the public domain but I like being mentioned.
Hope that helps,
--
MJ Ray (slef)
Webmaster for hire, statistician and online shop builder for a small
worker cooperative http://www.ttllp.co.uk/ http://mjr.towers.org.uk/
(Notice http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html) tel:+44-844-4437-237
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