Re: What RMS says about standards (was: [rms@gnu.org: Re: Questions regarding free documentation.]
Hi,
>>"Jules" == Jules Bean <jmlb2@hermes.cam.ac.uk> writes:
Jules> If we do go the 'verbatim' tag way (and Marcus went a long way
Jules> to dissuading me in his last email), then I think we should
Jules> add something to the social contract which encourages 'free'
Jules> standards, and explains our rationale for including non-free
Jules> standards, while indicating that we very much prefer free ones
Jules> (RMS's point about GNU C went right home for me..).
He persuaded me, too, as to the desirability of the standards,
with a rename-and-distinguish-if-modified clause. However, there is
not a single standard I could come with (even debian policy
documents, which can't really be called standards until someone else
also uses them, are not modifiable) that I can think of.
So if we do not go with a verbatim section, even the
freely redistributable standards can't be part of Debian. And I think
that is sad.
Jules> However, Manoj, I completely agree with you about licenses. I
Jules> also genuinely believe that licenses should be free. As you
Jules> say, all of Marcus's arguments apply equally well to licenses.
At least we agree ;-)
Jules> My current opinion then, (subject to change after persuasive
Jules> argument ;-) is that we *should* create a verbatim section,
Jules> but that we should make it as small as possible, and indicate
Jules> that it exists because we respect the fact that standards are
Jules> valuable to all software (i.e. including free software), but
Jules> make the point that we think free standards are far more
Jules> desirable.
I concur.
However, there are all those other document categories. I am
not yet convinced that thse need to be modified at all -- especially
novels and stories and personal opinions.
I would say, software docs should be following the DFSG,
standards may go into verbatim but wer really prefer free ones
(though there are none yet).
We need to tackle the other categories (I hope I need not post
them again).
manoj
--
The only real argument for marriage is that it remains the best
method for getting acquainted. Heywood Broun
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@acm.org> <http://www.datasync.com/%7Esrivasta/>
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