[Pkg-doc-linux-devel] missing HOWTOs

[Frank Lichtenheld]

On Fri, Jul 30, 2004 at 12:16:44PM -0400, Peter Jay Salzman wrote:
> On Fri 30 Jul 04,  5:37 PM, Frank Lichtenheld said:
> Hi Frank,
> 
> Thanks for getting back to me.  It's very disheartening to hear that
> Debian currently considers the OSL non-free.  IANAL, but I would think
> that Apache would be non-free too, by the same token.

Don't know about that. Note that the patent action clause is especially
non-free if it terminates the license for _unrelated_ patent issues
(§10 part (i))
AFAIR there isn't yet a consensus if it still non-free if it only
terminates the license for patent issues with the software in question.
(§10 part (ii))

> I'll consider changing the licenses to the GPL, but I have to admit -- I
> *really* like the OSL's termination for patent action clause.

I don't like it. It's the same direction as "dictators must not use this
software" or "nazis must not use this software". Software patent battles
have to be fought but not in our licenses. Same thing with the GFDL and
this stupid^Wambiguous DRM restriction...

> Frank, has anybody thought of contacting Larry Rosen about this?  I've
> met the man once, and he's a very reasonable, very intelligent, and very
> well thought out person.  He also happens to care very much about the
> issue of free software.
> 
> Perhaps his input would be useful to your discussion.
> 
> Maybe Debian's input would be useful in improving the OSL.

I don't know this in the case of the OSL. For other licenses there has
been extensive contact and discussion between Debian and the authors
of licenses. One could search in the archives of or ask on debian-legal.

Gruesse,
-- 
Frank Lichtenheld <djpig@debian.org>
www: http://www.djpig.de/