While I'd like to see this program available in Debian for several reasons, the copyright on it seems to be on shakey ground. The code itself claims it is copyright by Dan Jackson, but according to http://www.kyz.uklinux.net/convlit.php he is not the actual author and the author wishes to remain anonymous. Dan Jackson's own web page, http://members.lycos.co.uk/hostintheshell/, bills him as the "Former publisher of Convert LIT".
IANAL, but unless the anonymous author has legally transferred the copyright to Dan Jackson, I don't see how he can legally claim copyright of, or license the software. And I don't know of a way for copyright to be transfered anonymously -- Dan Jackson would have to know who the author is, at a minimum. Perhaps everyting is on the up-and-up, and the anonymous author did indeed transfer the copyright. But we have no way to tell, and it feels shady to me. Especially given all the other potential legal problems that could arrise from distributing this program in Debian in certian countries.. -- see shy jo
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