Re: Are Web-API packages need to be in the 'main' repo ?
On Mon, Dec 12, 2011, at 02:02 AM, Christofer C. Bell wrote:
| The question of freeness or non-freeness in Debian has
| to do with licensing, and nothing to do with the uses to
| which software is put. If the program accessing the
| "non-free" service is free software, it goes in main, period.
By this logic, should their be a "contrib"?
Consider a GPL licensed program that attempts to dynamically
use a non-free "web service". If the non-free component is
unavailable, it can't run as expected, so it gracefully exits
with an appropriate message. This is "free"?
Consider a GPL licensed program that attempts to dynamically
use a non-free "dynamic library". If the non-free component is
unavailable, it can't run as expected, so it gracefully exits
with an appropriate message. This is "contrib"?
Either it matters if the program actually works ("uses
to which it is put") or it doesn't. If it doesn't matter
if the work actually runs, then Debian shouldn't be making
the distinction between free and contrib distributions.
What happens if my application gets "smart", it looks first
for the proprietary dynamic link library; and if it isn't
there, it uses a web service wrapper for that library? Would
this move an application from "contrib" to "free"?
| To require otherwise would require amending the Social Contract
| and a General Resolution to adopt the change.
I think the emergence of prolific proprietary WebAPIs are
reason enough for Debian itself to evaluate what it wishes
to do? Should Debian treat proprietary works differently
based solely upon the technology used to access them?
Best,
Clark
Reply to: