David Bremner writes ("Bug#826347: emacs24: debian/rules has a confusing
license"):
> Package: emacs24
> Version: 24.5+1-6+b2
> Severity: minor
>
> debian/rules reads
>
> # This file is licensed under the terms of the Gnu Public License.
> # With the one additional provision that Ian Jackson's name may not be
> # removed from the file.
>
> I'm not sure if this is really a conflict with the GPL (which GPL?)
> language about additional restrictions, but if Ian agrees maybe it
> could be removed, and we could think about other things.
WTF.
I nowadays generally grant very permissive licences on my packaging so
that it can be copied freely into different packages.
I have no objection to removing this "additional restriction" (in
GPLv3 terminology) from the rules file licence text.
However, the GPL (whatever version) requires accurate attribution, so
I think that makes no practical difference. (I haven't looked at the
file so I'm simply assuming it has some code from me in it, and a
corresponding copyright notice naming me.)
Clearly, the copyright notice for the rules file has been mangled. I
think it's vanishingly unlikely that any of the nominal
copyrightholders will care. If anyone thinks they might, the
debian/changelog can probably be used to identify them.
Ian.
