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Re: Distribution of license documents (fwd)



Hi,
>>"Jules" == Jules Bean <jmlb2@hermes.cam.ac.uk> writes:

 Jules> My point was that (and I know Manoj doesn't agree here) I felt
 Jules> we should attempt to physically distribute the GPL with our
 Jules> debian packages.  Even thought we are not required to do so by
 Jules> law.  Out of courtesy.  Out of a desire to keep users
 Jules> informed.

	Would the following truisms fulfill the requirements then?
 a) Every Debian system contains a copy of the license
 b) Every CD we produce shall contain a copy
 c) Every ftp site that carries Debian shall contain a copy
 d) Our web server contains links to the licenses
 e) ever package shall contain a file that tells the user where the
    license document can be obtained from.
 
	I see no reason, even as a matter of courtesy, that we need do
 more. Espescially if that means we do not show our dislike for evil
 immutable licenses ;-)

 Jules> Because I am looking forward to a future when other
 Jules> distributions may install my .debs, and I don't know if they
 Jules> have the GPL in their base-files.

	I think we shall need a base set of requirements that have to
 be fulfilled to easily install .deb files on other distributions. We
 can and should ensure that the presense of the licenses is part of
 the base requirement.

	I am copying Dale on this message, since we should, for
 humanity, ask that the copyrights exist in a known place.

 Jules> In this circumstance, I feel it would remain apprpriate to
 Jules> place the resultant package in main, even though it contained
 Jules> a non-free component (the license itself).

	Have I succeeded in persuading you a trifle?  ;-)

 Jules> Even if we do not chjange this fact, it is still the case that
 Jules> many of our products (X, say) conatin licenses which are not
 Jules> among the 'big 4'.  These, IMO, we should continue to
 Jules> distribute, as an exception to our DFSG.

	Sure. We only do what we can. And the software comes first, I
 am willing to bend on evil immutable licenses ;-)

	manoj
-- 
 "If you are beginning to doubt what I am saying, you are probably
 hallucinating." The Firesign Theatre, _Everything you know is Wrong_
Manoj Srivastava  <srivasta@acm.org> <http://www.datasync.com/%7Esrivasta/>
Key C7261095 fingerprint = CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05  CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E


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