Bug#65577: [Amended] copyright should include notice if a package is not a part of Debian distribution

[Russ Allbery <rra@debian.org>]

Russ Allbery <rra@debian.org> writes:

> Below is a revised patch that puts the text into section 12.5 instead of
> here and simplifies the language a little.  I think the major open
> question is how to handle the fact that it makes contrib and non-free
> packages instabuggy; this is a real chicken and egg sort of thing.  I
> can see a few options:
>
> * Live with the instabuggy problem at the should level.
>
> * Say that packages may include this information (entirely optional),
>   possibly with a footnote that says this may be upgraded in the future.
>   This is somewhat unsatisfying since it doesn't say anything that isn't
>   already true -- people already can put this in copyright -- but it
>   avoids the problem of making existing packages buggy while still
>   providing some documentation somewhere that this is a good idea.
>
> * Punt to the Debian Developer's Reference and suggest it be put it there
>   first, and only revisit Policy if in the future it seems useful to put
>   it here.
>
> Preferences?  Comments?  And if you agree with the first option, seconds?

I have gotten no further feedback on this proposal other than some
questions about whether contrib and non-free are subject to Policy (they
are, according to Policy).  I would like to resolve this bug for the next
Policy release, but I don't want to just commit patches on my own say-so.

Could those reading the Policy list please review this patch and and
either second or indicate a preference for a different option so that we
can resolve this and close this bug?

Thanks!

> --- orig/policy.sgml
> +++ mod/policy.sgml
> @@ -8675,7 +8675,14 @@
>  	  In addition, the copyright file must say where the upstream
>  	  sources (if any) were obtained.  It should name the original
>  	  authors of the package and the Debian maintainer(s) who were
> -	  involved with its creation.</p>
> +	  involved with its creation.
> +	</p>
> +
> +        <p>
> +          Packages in the <em>contrib</em> or <em>non-free</em> categories
> +          should state in the copyright file that the package is not part
> +          of the Debian GNU/Linux distribution and briefly explain why.
> +        </p>
>  
>  	<p>
>  	  A copy of the file which will be installed in

-- 
Russ Allbery (rra@debian.org)               <http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>