[Ichthux-devel] Penguin in the Pew Available

[Don Parris]

On Wed, 4 May 2005 13:03:34 -0300
Ben Armstrong <synergism at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
> 
> _______________________________________________

I was unaware that the CC license I chose would cause this kind problem.
I do agree with the need to stick to principles.  Since I am not part of the
Debian community, I will plead ignorance as to their social contract.  I am
well aware of its existence, but not of the depths of its contents.  (I've
been a Red Hat/Mandrake/SUSE guy through most of my GNU/Linux experience.)
;)

My complaint about the commercial aspect comes from other Christians who
support FOSS, but only as far as it's gratis.  Every time I bring up the
fact that developers *can* get paid for developing FOSS, they say nothing. 
It's always, "I support proprietary because I support a developer's right to
get paid for his work".  I disagree.  I believe one can get paid for
developing free software.

It is a shame that the various license terms cause such aggravating
conflicts.  I regret that PitP 2.0 won't be able to be included with
Ichthux.  I am, however, glad to know that there are folks involved in the
Ichthux project that understand the licensing issues better than I do. :) 
But do I take that to mean that much documentation is left out of Debian? 
Aren't a lot of the how-to's and such under the GDFL?

I was also assuming that the book would be treated differently, because
books really are different.  Were I writing a simple reference work or a
novel, or music, I would have offered a different license.  If not, so be
it.

Blessings,
Don
-- 
evangelinux    GNU Evangelist
http://matheteuo.org/                   http://chaddb.sourceforge.net/
"Free software is like God's love - you can share it with anyone anytime
anywhere."