Bug#288379: VCG, license, and source location

[Ian Zimmerman <itz@buug.org>]

Jens> How about putting the DFSG/GPL-compatible source on Savanna (or
Jens> similar), so that there is a (new) canonical place to get VCG.  Of
Jens> course, politely ask the original authors about their opinion
Jens> first.

Ian> I'm writing on behalf of the Debian project.  We'd like to keep vcg
Ian> as a Debian package, however, Debian procedures require us to keep
Ian> an intact upstream source package (under a free license) plus
Ian> Debian patches.  In the case of vcg, that is not trivial because
Ian> the free (unobfuscated) version of the layout sources has only been
Ian> released separately from the rest of the package.

Ian> Since vcg doesn't seem to be actively developed anymore by you,
Ian> would you object if we fork a version and maintain it on Savannah,
Ian> SourceForge or a similar community site?  Legally there is no
Ian> problem because it's under GPL, but you must be given proper human
Ian> consideration.

Well, it has been over a week now, so I feel justified in taking over
the upstream if necessary.  

Ian> graphviz.  graphviz can do many of the same things vcg can, and
Ian> seems to be more widely used.  And, after seeing the vcg source,
Ian> graphviz is probably easier to maintain <grin>

It seems graphviz has indeed entered main (I am not sure because I track
testing, but I'll know in two weeks).  So maintaining vcg may not be
worth the effort.

I'll keep you updated ...

-- 
I wonder which is the best virus for unix and if I can write
a better one in Microsoft BASIC ?
Hans-Marc Olsen in comp.unix.programmer