Re: GR proposal - Restricted-media amendments to the DFSG

[Thomas Bushnell BSG <tb@becket.net>]

Josselin Mouette <joss@debian.org> writes:

> Le jeudi 06 avril 2006 à 09:50 -0700, Thomas Bushnell BSG a écrit :
>> Josselin Mouette <joss@debian.org> writes:
>> 
>> > At the end of DFSG #2, the following text should be added:
>> >         "The license may restrict distribution to some kinds of media if
>> >         it is still possible to distribute the source code and compiled
>> >         code together on at least one machine-readable medium."
>> 
>> I'm made uncomfortable by this, because it would tolerate licenses
>> which restricted distribution to cassette tape.
>
> How does it differ from the GFDL requirements?

The GFDL says you must provide a machine-readable copy.  It does not
restrict the use of other media.  Perhaps it is just your sloppiness
in wording, but the words you wrote allow a license which says "you
may only distribute this on cassette."  The GFDL *permits*
distribution on cassette, and even treats it as machine-readable, but
it does *not* require distribution on cassette.

It allows the distributor to choose their choice of machine-readable
format, and that's suitable for Debian.  Your wording would permit
licenses which do *not* allow the distributor to choose their choice
of machine-readable format.

Thomas