On Tue, Oct 16, 2001 at 08:47:07AM -0500, Branden Robinson wrote: > What part of "Free Software" don't you understand?
The second part, apparently. The "Software" part. > If we distribute it, it's software. Arguably, (and rereading the social contract), yes. Thanks for reminding me. However - this is not the case today. Not everything Debian distributes would pass through the DFSG, and (especially if it turns out that the GNU FDL doesn't[1]) taking this away from Debian would in my humble opinion detract greatly from Debian. > If it's not software (or willing to be treated as such), it's not our > mission to distribute it. Distributing documentation, licenses (like the GPL-text itself) and examples makes Debian better. Sure, you're covered either way since X doesn't use either of the GNU licenses, but large parts of Debian does. And this should be debated and decided. The options as far as I can see them are: A) Only ever distributing things that pass through the DFSG, even if they are pictures and documentation - they would have to be Free as in Very Free. This would mean removing large parts of Debian - like all GPL'ed software.[2] B) Distributing art and information under different terms than the DFSG because they *are* different. C) Starting a separate distribution, accessible through apt and integrated to Debian but not under the same social contract, for art, information and documentation. I hope this wouldn't be necessary, I'd prefer option "B)" above. D) Others? Sunnanvind. (No, I don't want to "corrupt Debian" or take freedom away from it. I adore and love Debians high ideals.) [1] The FDL allows modification of technical parts, but not totally free modifications of everything. [2] The alternatives would be either to, as some people have stated is done today, make an exception for license texts, but then you're already making exceptions to the "100% Free Software"-part. The other alternative would be to ask the FSF to change their licenses to be freely modifyable. I don't think that's a good idea, I like the GPL and the FDL as they are.
