My recollection is that there are different 'section types' in the Gnu Free Documentation License (GFDL) and most of them DO allow derivative works. The only exception is the 'invariant' sections, which don't. The invariant sections are usually supposed to be 'editorial comment' like the words of RMS, which shouldn't be modified for reasons stated in earlier messages because of the risks of misrepresenting the writer.
The only real issue I've heard in the way of complaints about the GFDL is that if trying to do a compilation of multiple GFDL documents (i.e. if trying to put together a manual on using a GNU based system) then it becomes problematic to deal with the invariant sections which are largely duplicative and supposedly have to be kept with the main part of the document. I haven't tried doing this sort of thing so no first hand experience to confirm or deny this... In terms of RMS saying that "creating derivatives of published works without permission is morally ok, but not translations. Translations are not ok." I'm not going to comment on morality, but my understanding of Copyright law is that publishing a direct translation violates the Copyright holder's rights - but the US Supreme Court has said that derivatives (at least parodies) are protected works - I forget the case name, but it involved a book called "The Wind Done Gone" which was a parody of 'Gone With the Wind' which told the story from the viewpoint of one of the slaves.... Thus RMS is correct from a legal standpoint. (Note, IANAL) ART ========== Original Message ================ Message: 2 Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2015 20:40:13 -0500 From: "J.B. Nicholson-Owens" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [libreplanet-discuss] The FSF Allows No Derivatives, Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed Ali Abdul Ghani wrote: > http://onpon4.github.io/other/fsf-no-derivatives/ I'm guessing you pointed us to this article because you wished to discuss the article. Here are my views on this article. <much trimmed> ------------------ Arthur Torrey - <[email protected]> -------------------
