On Tue, Jul 08, 2003 at 02:24:25PM +1000, Ben Finney wrote: > The "packages" page at <http://www.debian.org/distrib/packages> > currently says: > > ===== > Non-US/Main and Non-US/Non-Free > These packages cannot be exported from the USA, they are mostly > encryption software packages, or software that is encumbered by patent > issues. Most of them are free, but some are non-free. > ===== > > The point about encryption software is out of date since we can get any > crypto software exported from the USA these days. The last sentence is > needlessly vague.
The thread http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2002/debian-legal-200207/msg00029.html documents the exact rationale for these sections. The following patch incorporates its conclusions into the packages page. I'd appreciate it if the readers of debian-legal would double-check it. -- Matt Kraai [EMAIL PROTECTED] Debian GNU/Linux Index: english/distrib/packages.wml =================================================================== RCS file: /cvs/webwml/webwml/english/distrib/packages.wml,v retrieving revision 1.51 diff -3 -c -p -u -r1.51 packages.wml --- english/distrib/packages.wml 6 Feb 2003 18:12:17 -0000 1.51 +++ english/distrib/packages.wml 8 Jul 2003 04:52:18 -0000 @@ -26,10 +26,17 @@ restrictive license or legal issues. The <dd>Packages in this area do not necessarily cost money, but have some onerous license condition restricting use or redistribution of the software.</dd> - <dt><em>Non-US/Main</em> and <em>Non-US/Non-Free</em></dt> - <dd>These packages cannot be exported from the USA, they are mostly - encryption software packages, or software that is encumbered by - patent issues. Most of them are free, but some are non-free.</dd> + <dt><em>Non-US/Main</em></em></dt> + <dd>Packages in this area are free themselves but cannot be + stored on a server in the USA because they are encumbered by + patent issues.</dd> + <dt><em>Non-US/Non-Free</em></dt> + <dd>Packages in this area do not necessarily cost money, but + have some onerous license condition restricting use or + redistribution of the software. They cannot be exported from + the USA because they are encryption software packages or they + cannot be stored on a server in the USA because are encumbered + by patent issues.</dd> </dl></blockquote> <p>Note that same packages might appear in several distributions, but with
