Hi. Thank you for that information. Andreas,
I want to use The DSFG as a model for other distros and software. That being said, I am all about the freedom side so, if the packages in stable Are all free anyways, it kind of makes it a moot point for me because I will just use the Debian free software guidelines and Debian stable myself, personally. That being said, since my software generates ISO’s and customizes distros, (Many have been released into the wild 😜) there Is a need for me to offer guidance and a model to those users creating and maintaining Debian based distros. Of course, I went to Bruce first, see thread below. He recommended if there were any modifications to dfsg, as a formality, to contact the Debian project. I was forwarded your name as the person who may be able to Grant permission as per the original release terms of the DFSG: To be used as a model for other projects and distros where permission will be gladly granted For such use. Are you the correct point person or point of contact with the ability to grant permission to use DFSG As a model, as was the original intent of the document? If you are, then I would like to request permission as per the original release of the document, and I did my due diligence in contacting Bruce first who said to contact you just as a formality. Else if you are not, and you know who that person or a point of contact is Please let me know, and put me in the right direction. Thanks Marcia On Tue, Mar 25, 2025 at 4:57 AM Michael Stehmann <mich...@canzeley.de> wrote: > Hi, > > IMO the person you have to ask is the Debian Project Lead. > > THe recent is: > > Andreas Tille <ti...@debian.org> > > Hope I could help you. > > Kind regards > Michael > > > Am 24.03.25 um 21:04 schrieb Marcia Wilbur: > > Hi. So I had Contacted Bruce Perens because he was the original author of > > both of those and as per his guidance, he said, as long as I’m just using > > the original, I should cite it, which that’s fine. > > > > But if I wanted to modify it as a formality, I should contact the Debian > > folks. > > > > The original document (Dfsg) announce states that it can be used as a > model > > for other distros and projects, and that “We will gladly grant permission > > for any such us” Let me get you the full text Of that, announce below. > > > > *We hope that other software projects, > > including other Linux distributions, will use this document as a model. > > We will gladly grant permission for any such use.* > > > > So I asked Bruce… > > Does this statement mean we can simply use the document as a model with > no > > further due diligence or explicit permissions? > > > > Since Bruce was the original Author, I reached out to him first, but he > > said he has been outside Debian project a while: > > > > Bruce Perens: > > If you're not going to modify it, I think you could just cite the > document > > at its current location. If you are, just for formality sake you should > ask > > the Debian folks. I've not been on that project for some years - just too > > many things to do. > > > > Considering the text in the announcement, it seems that the original > > document is an open one, but as a formality, I am letting you know I want > > to modify just the name and waiting for that gladly granting of > permissions > > as per the original intent! > > > > :) > > > > > > > > On Mon, Mar 24, 2025 at 3:52 PM Michael Stehmann <mich...@canzeley.de> > > wrote: > > > >> Hello, > >> > >> IMO there is a derived work of the DFSG: > >> > >> > >> > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://opensource.org/osd__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!YBK4_x9ztccP0OAJPH1co8Ve89r4WSeMiqJjCzqxu1GTY6-xWm6egy9tx-70Ljcg2FyZrjaWSe7EdN6vx7FX_qQ$ > >> > >> See: > >> > >> > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Source_Initiative*History__;Iw!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!YBK4_x9ztccP0OAJPH1co8Ve89r4WSeMiqJjCzqxu1GTY6-xWm6egy9tx-70Ljcg2FyZrjaWSe7EdN6v0Ddq6cQ$ > >> > >> Disclaimer: I am not a member of the Debian Project but interested in > >> Free Software Licences. > >> > >> Kind regards > >> Michael > >> > >> Am 23.03.25 um 19:31 schrieb Francesco Poli: > >>> On Sun, 23 Mar 2025 04:34:43 -0400 Marcia Wilbur wrote: > >>> > >>>> Hi. My name is Marcia Wilbur. > >>> > >>> Hello Marcia, > >>> > >>> [...] > >>>> I would like to use the Debian Free Software Guidelines document as a > >> model > >>>> for my projects as well as promote DFSG or a derivative as a model for > >>>> other projects. > >>>> > >>>> At this point in time, the only thing I would modify is the name. > >>> > >>> Disclaimer: I cannot speak for the Debian Project, since I have not > >>> been delegated to do so; I am just a Debian contributor (a Debian > >>> Maintainer, to be precise) who has been a regular on the debian-legal > >>> mailing list for quite a long time. > >>> > >>> That said, my own personal opinion is that what you would like to do > >>> should not be a problem, from a conceptual standpoint. > >>> > >>> The only trouble I see is that the document that includes the Debian > >>> Social Contract and the Debian Free Software Guidelines still seems to > >>> be under the non-free OPL license, as there is no evidence that it has > >>> been re-licensed (yet)... > >>> Please take a look at bug [#614497] for more detailed information about > >>> this (long) story. > >>> > >>> [#614497]: < > >> > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://bugs.debian.org/614497__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!YBK4_x9ztccP0OAJPH1co8Ve89r4WSeMiqJjCzqxu1GTY6-xWm6egy9tx-70Ljcg2FyZrjaWSe7EdN6vqCWeDEw$ > >>> > >>> > >>> I admit that this looks like sad news, but... it is what it is... :-( > >>> > >> > >> > > > >
