[Ichthux-devel] Penguin in the Pew Available

[Ben Armstrong]

First off, I want to assure you I appreciate the advocacy that you're
doing, and both you and your work are valued here.  However, being a
Debian developer who is somewhat familiar with these issues, I have to
correct you on the following point.

On 5/4/05, Don Parris <evangelinux at thefreelyproject.org> wrote:
> I know I got wordy, but I hope that helps to clear up any confusion.  You
> should be able to package the PDF with Debian.  Check with their licensing
> folks.  BTW, it was RMS who suggested a license that does not permit
> modification.

That is incorrect.  CC Attribution+No-Derivs is not free according to
the DFSG. You cannot package the PDF for Debian main.

You may be able to package it for the "non-free" archives, though. 
But that isn't Debian.  No official Debian CD may contain PitP.

I'm afraid "because RMS recommends it" doesn't change that.  Are you
unaware of the trouble the GFDL has caused because it either forces
Debian to compromise on its principles, or exclude some valuable doc
under the GFDL from Debian?

The issue here isn't a "FOSS=non-commercial mentality".  In fact,
Debian, through the DFSG, *protects* commercial interests by ensuring
that they can use and modify our software at will by consistently
applying the same standard throughout the entire work.  The last thing
risk-averse corporations want is to modify some part of Debian and
redistribute it, only to turn around later and find the author suing
them for doing so.  By insisting on Debian main being "100% DFSG-free"
nobody ever has to worry about making the distinction between software
and non-software, free and non-free.  The same rights and freedoms
apply to every last bit of it.

See: http://www.debian.org/social_contract

Either we believe in and uphold those principles, or we slide into a
compromising position, and accept licenses like GFDL and the various
non-free CC variants.  Surely you understand the importance to
sticking to principles unswervingly?  I believe this is in no way
anti-commercial.

That being said, you are certainly well within your rights to license
your book in this way.  Nor would any of us begrudge you any money
collected for it.  You have worked hard on it, and you deserve it. 
It's just a shame that it can't be included in Debian, and therefore
Ichthux.

Ben