Bug#768292: debian-policy: please allow copyright file to refer to license text in separate files

[Bill Allombert <ballombe@debian.org>]

On Thu, Nov 06, 2014 at 09:44:29AM +0000, Simon McVittie wrote:
> Package: debian-policy
> Severity: wishlist
> 
> [X-Debbugs-Cc: ftpmaster@debian.org because I know the Policy maintainers
> don't actually control what is or isn't acceptable in the archive in this
> respect.]
> 
> Some packages currently have stanzas like this in their copyright files:
> 
>     License: MPL-2.0
>      The complete text of the Mozilla Public License 2.0 can be found in
>      the `MPL-2.0' file in the same directory as this file.
> 
> It is not clear to me whether Debian Policy allows this. I would like it
> to be specifically allowed, unless there is some good reason not to;

Hello Simon,

I do not thing that policy allow it, because that break the assumption that
the copyright contains all the relevant information. olicy 2.3 below states
"a verbatim copy" which exclude indirections.

In particular that breaks services like
<http://metadata.ftp-master.debian.org/changelogs/main/b/bash/unstable_copyright>
which are not able to dereference the link.

2.3. Copyright considerations
-----------------------------

     Every package must be accompanied by a verbatim copy of its copyright
     information and distribution license in the file
     `/usr/share/doc/<package>/copyright' (see Section 12.5, `Copyright
     information' for further details).

Cheers,
-- 
Bill. <ballombe@debian.org>

Imagine a large red swirl here.