Re: PS documentation file, no sources, author died
On Sat May 30 00:21, Rafael Laboissiere wrote: I would really like to distribute the documentation file but the upstream author died recently [6] and the chances are small that the sources can be found. Is there any rule that applies to this case, I mean, when an author dies? Copyright (at least in some important jurisdiction) applies for life + 70 years, so it still applies and would now be held by the author's estate. A simple solution would be to strip the PS file from the tarball and, eventually, create an octave-quartenion-nonfree package containing it. Otherwise, we could generate a LaTeX file that reproduces that PS file. If we do that, what should be the Copyright notice and the licence statement? The problem here is that either there is no copyright licence (in which case we can't distribute it, even in non-free), or the blanket GPLv3 applies (which is, I think, reasonable to assume) in which case either we have a source form, in which case it can go in main, or we don't, in which case we can't distribute it, even in non-free as this violates the licence agreement. The post script definitely looks like it was generated from TeX (from reading the PS source) so we really should try and find said source. Alternatively, I think the reading of the GPL would suggest that if you created a derivative work (eg, by machine translating it back to some sort off TeX, or extracting the text and reformatting) then it would be reasonable to distribute _with the preferred form of modification of that derivative work_, which is your new, translated, TeX file. HTH, Matt -- Matthew Johnson signature.asc Description: Digital signature
Re: PS documentation file, no sources, author died
In message 20090530071729.gh30...@matthew.ath.cx, Matthew Johnson mj...@debian.org writes On Sat May 30 00:21, Rafael Laboissiere wrote: I would really like to distribute the documentation file but the upstream author died recently [6] and the chances are small that the sources can be found. Is there any rule that applies to this case, I mean, when an author dies? Copyright (at least in some important jurisdiction) applies for life + 70 years, so it still applies and would now be held by the author's estate. Copyright in pretty much ALL jurisdictions (ie not including, iirc, places like North Korea) lasts for a *minimum* of 50 calendar years after creation. You can't state the worst case and then assume it applies without knowing anything about the author :-) You can state the probable best case, and then assume it probably applies... Cheers, Wol -- Anthony W. Youngman - anth...@thewolery.demon.co.uk -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-legal-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Re: PS documentation file, no sources, author died
I'm not a lawyer, but: 1) It is clear that the author wished his work to be distributed as freely as circumstances allow. 2) It is clear that GPL aims to allow for freedom in manipulation with software. I don't think it implies that should the only source become unavailable due to higher circumstances (authors death), it must stop being distributed. Actually I would argue that this would actually go against the meaning of GNU GPL. So I think all can be fixed by an explanatory text in the copyright notice which makes the situation clear. With regards, Hynek Hanke -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-legal-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Re: PS documentation file, no sources, author died
* Paul Wise p...@debian.org [2009-05-30 11:46]: What makes you think that the .ps file is not source code? It was generated with LaTeX. BTW, I suggest that in general Debian packages should have an active upstream maintainer. Do you or someone else intend to take over upstream development of this software? A. S. Hodel was the original author but this package (quartenion) is maintained collectively by the Octave-Forge team and it had been for a long time included in Octave itself, which is actively maintained. My problem is just with the PS documentation file. -- Rafael -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-legal-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Re: PS documentation file, no sources, author died
* Matthew Johnson mj...@debian.org [2009-05-30 08:17]: The problem here is that either there is no copyright licence (in which case we can't distribute it, even in non-free), or the blanket GPLv3 applies (which is, I think, reasonable to assume) in which case either we have a source form, in which case it can go in main, or we don't, in which case we can't distribute it, even in non-free as this violates the licence agreement. The post script definitely looks like it was generated from TeX (from reading the PS source) so we really should try and find said source. Alternatively, I think the reading of the GPL would suggest that if you created a derivative work (eg, by machine translating it back to some sort off TeX, or extracting the text and reformatting) then it would be reasonable to distribute _with the preferred form of modification of that derivative work_, which is your new, translated, TeX file. What you wrote above is fully reasonable. Thanks for the suggestion. -- Rafael -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-legal-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
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Re: PS documentation file, no sources, author died
On Sat May 30 14:33, Rafael Laboissiere wrote: A. S. Hodel was the original author but this package (quartenion) is maintained collectively by the Octave-Forge team and it had been for a long time included in Octave itself, which is actively maintained. My problem is just with the PS documentation file. In which case it may be worth mentioning to them that they are likely failing to meet the terms of the GPL as well. Matt -- Matthew Johnson signature.asc Description: Digital signature
