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Re: DEP-5: query about possible inheritence of License:



On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 10:55:01AM -0700, Steve Langasek wrote:
> Yes, it's intended that a License: field with an arbitrary keyword can
> be used to refer to a later License block.

Thanks.

> If this isn't clear, can you suggest improvements to the text?

You can find attached an attempt of that, attempt that can surely be
improved :-) The diff is against current svn HEAD of dep5.mdwn.

Cheers.

-- 
Stefano Zacchiroli -o- PhD in Computer Science \ PostDoc @ Univ. Paris 7
zack@{upsilon.cc,pps.jussieu.fr,debian.org} -<>- http://upsilon.cc/zack/
Dietro un grande uomo c'è ..|  .  |. Et ne m'en veux pas si je te tutoie
sempre uno zaino ...........| ..: |.... Je dis tu à tous ceux que j'aime
Index: dep5.mdwn
===================================================================
--- dep5.mdwn	(revision 105)
+++ dep5.mdwn	(working copy)
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
 
  * **`License`**
   * Licensing terms for the files listed in the previous **`Files`** field
-    * First line: licence name(s) in abbreviated format (see *Short names* section). If empty, it is given the default value 'other'
+    * First line: licence identifier(s) in abbreviated format (see *Short name* section). If empty, it is given the default value 'other'
     * Remaining lines: either copy the full text of the license(s), indicate a link to it (or them), or leave this part empty for using standalone **`License`** section(s) that matches the license short name(s) (see the *Standalone License Section* section).
     * If the files have no copyright holders nor licence because they are in the Public Domain, the **`License`** field is used to indicate this fact.
 
@@ -239,12 +239,16 @@
 #### Short name
 
 The "`License`" field, to be machine-parseable, refers in its first lines to
-frequently used licenses through a list of unambiguous short names. For the
-licenses existing in multiple versions, the version number is added, using a
-dash as a separator. If omitted, the lowest version number is implied. When the
-licence permits to use the terms of any later version, the short name is
-finished with a plus sign.
+detailed licenses via unambiguous identifiers. Each identifier is either the
+short name of a frequently used and well-known license, or an identifier
+(unique within a debian/copyright file) pointing to an explicit License block
+available in the debian/copyright file.
 
+For well-known licenses existing in multiple versions, the version number is
+added, using a dash as a separator. If omitted, the lowest version number is
+implied. When the licence permits to use the terms of any later version, the
+short name is finished with a plus sign. The list of (base) short names for
+well-known licenses is given below.
 
 [[!table data="""
 **keyword** | **meaning**
@@ -291,6 +295,10 @@
 
 The GPL "`OpenSSL`" clarification gives permission to linked code with OpenSSL library, which contains GPL-incompatible clauses.
 
+"other" is the default identifier used to point to License blocks describing
+specific licenses not available in the above list of well-known licenses. In
+case more than one of such block is needed, identifiers other than "other" (and
+possibly more significant) can be used.
 
 [[!table data="""
 **keyword** | **Version needed?** | **GPL compatible** | **meaning**

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