Comment 2 for bug 6762

On Wed, Dec 04, 2002 at 06:43:08AM -0600, Colin Watson wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 04, 2002 at 05:45:09AM +0000, Brian M. Carlson wrote:
> > Package: glibc
> > Version: unavailable; reported 2002-12-04
> > Severity: serious
> > Justification: Policy 2.1.1, 2.1.2
> >
> > debian-legal has recently decided that the GNU Free Documentation
> > License is non-free. Therefore, at least libc.info* must be removed from
> > the package.
>
> Despite its coverage in DWN, I don't think that the discussion has
> reached anywhere near the level of conclusiveness to merit the filing of
> serious bugs yet. As far as I can see, all that happened was that Walter
> Landry decided that it contained a non-free clause ("may not use
> technical measures to obstruct or control ..."), and nobody disagreed
> right away. Personally I cannot see how that clause can be read as a use
> restriction (it explicitly talks about "the copies you make or
> distribute"), and I don't think the clause mentioned is qualitatively
> different from the GPL's restrictions on distribution.

I don't read DWN (at least not very often). Also, IIRC, Branden Robinson agreed,
and I also concur (although I am not a DD). The section 4K also makes it
non-free in addition because you may not substantially alter the Ode to My
Goldfish. :-) Also, if the History section contains anything but the
normal changelog, then the license is also non-free. It is begging to be
abused.

In addition, there is the point of the Sun RPC code, which is totally
unrelated and would, on its face, merit filing a serious bug anyway.

--
Brian M. Carlson <email address hidden> 0x560553e7
"Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable. Let us prepare
 to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it
 after all." --Douglas Adams