First I would like to thank you all for taking the time to respond to my email message. I really appreciate the feedback I will try, as best I can to address the questions you have asked:
Alan: You asked if he had given a reason for his request that I remove his book from my web site. The only reason he gave was that only the printed version of the book was covered by the GFDL and that the content on his web site is not. My assumption is that his motives are primarily financial. In addition to posting of the HTML version of his book on his web site he also has links to Amazon where the printed book can be purchased. If I do decide to decline his request to remove the book I do intend to offer to also include links to the printed version of his book so that he is not deprived of revenue from the print version (and may actually generate more revenue). My web site is non-profit (we do run Google Ads which defray about 20% of the hosting costs but this is very much a hobby for a small group of volunteers and not a business) and I have no desire to take away book sales from the author of this book. You also asked if the HTML itself is the source code for the book, or if it was written in some other language (Texinfo, perhaps) and then converted to HTML. This is a very good question and is something that had not occurred to me before you asked. Having looked at the HTML the version of the book on his web site it is very clear that HTML that has been generated from Texinfo. The HTML on his site, however, is the only electronic, i.e transparent, version of the book he has made available. He has not made the Texinfo source available. The only version of the book that could be considered as "transparent" as described by the GFDL appears to be the HTML on his web page - which is what I am essentially using and allowing others to similarly read and copy from my web site. You also asked why I don't simply agree to his request and I may indeed agree to do so. That said I am a huge advocate of open source in general and the various GNU licenses that have made so much useful software and information available to everyone. As such it goes somewhat against my principles that the author in question released the book under the GFDL but seems not to want others to distribute that useful content for the benefit of a wider audience in the very ways the GFDL was designed to allow. Still emotionally conficted on this point at the moment :). John: You asked what license has been used by the author. The HTML version of the book on his web site contains the GNU Free Document License Version 1.2 dated November 2002 in its entirety as an addendum. Alfred: You asked if I would post the URLs in question either publicly or privately. I would prefer not to post the links publicly out of respect to the author of the book. I do not have his permission to reveal his identity and also don't want to be seen to be promoting my web site in a public forum. I will, however, email you separately with both his URL and my URL. Thanks again for all taking the time to consider my email and provide thoughtful responses to my questions. Regards Neal _______________________________________________ Gnu-misc-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss
