Package: debian-policy Version: 3.8.0.1 Severity: wishlist
Especially since the main, contrib, and non-free archive areas are not described anywhere else (as far as I can tell), it would be helpful if some descriptive text were added to explain the intent of policy. I suggest the following in the hopes that others will flesh out the descriptions to be more accurate and complete than my first cut: 2.2.1 The main archive area The main archive area is where the core of the Debian GNU/Linux system lives. All of the software in main can stand alone as a fully operational system without any software from contrib or non-free. The software included in main is vetted to ensure compliance with policy and the DFSG. In addition it does not depend on any software outside main, it is believed to be wholly unencumbered by patents, and is believed to have no legal encumbrances that could affect users or our ftp archive operators. 2.2.2 The contrib archive area The contrib archive area is where fully policy compliant and DFSG free software is put that depends on or recommends non-free software or software that is otherwise unavailable within Debian. Contrib software is believed to be wholly unencumbered by patents and to have no legal encumbrances that could affect users or our ftp archives. However, contrib software usually requires using either non-free software or software that is otherwise not available or not policy compliant. 2.2.3 The non-free archive area The non-free archive area is where software that is freely redistributable, but not fully policy compliant (which can be as simple as failing the software build requirements) or not DFSG free, or is encumbered by patents or is affected by other legal issues that could affect our users or our ftp infrastructure. Obviously, I intend these paragraphs to be added as descriptions and all of the normative parts of those sections to be preserved (I didn't copy them here to save bits and bandwidth). -- System Information: Debian Release: 5.0.5 APT prefers stable APT policy: (500, 'stable') Architecture: amd64 (x86_64) Kernel: Linux 2.6.26-2-amd64 (SMP w/1 CPU core) Locale: LANG=en_US, LC_CTYPE=en_US (charmap=ISO-8859-1) Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash debian-policy depends on no packages. debian-policy recommends no packages. Versions of packages debian-policy suggests: ii doc-base 0.8.20 utilities to manage online documen -- no debconf information -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-policy-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20100826233949.13336.23290.report...@precession.cjfearnley.com
