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Re: a Free Platform License?



> > I'm looking for a license that discriminates against proprietary
> > platforms. I'm open to any specific effects that may do this, subject,
> > of course, to what is consistent with Debian's values.
> 
> I'm pretty sure that the above stated intention is not compatible 
> with software freedom.

By design, copyleft discriminates against proprietary software.  
It just happens that the GPL has an exception for system libraries 
so that it doesn't discriminate against platforms (a specific kind 
of proprietary software).  Just because this exception exists in 
the GPL doesn't mean that it is necessary requirement for being 
considered free software.  Is it?

> "Discriminate against proprietary platforms" seems to necessarily
> entail discriminating against a field of use for the work, which 
> violates an essential freedom for the recipient of the work.

I don't understand how discriminating against a given software 
component licensed in a particular way would necessarily entail 
discriminating against a field-of-use, group of users, etc.
They seem quite orthogonal concerns to me.

> If you could prepare the work you're interested in packaging, 
> and the actual set of license terms, the discussion could 
> get more concrete.

I'm asking something fairly concrete here already:

| Would Debian consider a "Free Platform License" (FPL) derived 
| from the AGPLv3, but with the "System Library" exception 
| removed (as well as the GNU specific prologue)?

Reducing this to an actual license text is quite a bit of
effort -- especially if it weren't considered. 

Best,

Clark


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