Re: Request for suggestions of DFSG-free documentation licenses

[Sanjoy Mahajan]

Nathanael Nerode <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> The GPL contains some clauses which are somewhat irritating for
> *printed* manuals *only*.  Debian does not think that this is a
> problem, as Debian does not distribute printed manuals (the user can
> always print them himself).

Agreed.  Similarly, if you distribute physical hardware containing GPL
code, you must obey the same requirements (to provide source on a
CDROM, etc, or give a written offer to provide source on a CDROM etc).
And that's okay but, as you say, not ideal.

So I prefer the GPLv3 drafts (in sec. 6) because they allow Internet
distribution of the source, even when the object code or executable is
distributed in a physical medium (e.g. a printed manual or a router).

-Sanjoy

`If we are fortunate, Republicans will complete their self-destruction
 before they extinguish the Constitution and destroy America.' 
   --Paul Roberts, former assistant Treasury Secretary under Reagan


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Re: Request for suggestions of DFSG-free documentation licenses

[Anthony W. Youngman]

In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Nathanael 
Nerode <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes

If this is the same company which is licensing its software under a dual
GPL-and-proprietary model, I think it probably makes the most sense for
your company to simply license the manual under the GPL.  This means
that your company is the only one which can distribute *printed* copies
of the manual without attaching a CD, diskette, or offer to provide source
code.  Some people will probably be willing to pay for the
professionally printed copies.  :-)


Note that, in the UK at least, adding a "free" CD jacks up the cost of a 
printed manual/book significantly. Given that a typical O'Reilly sells 
for between £20 and £40, adding a CD will also add about £5 tax to the 
price (books are VAT-free, adding a CD makes the *entire* *package* 
liable to 17.5% tax).


Cheers,
Wol
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Anthony W. Youngman - [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Re: Request for suggestions of DFSG-free documentation licenses

[Nathanael Nerode]

Shriramana Sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>Thanks for all your feedback, but the GPL also has some clauses that are 
>not applicable to documentation as pointed out at:
>
>http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#WhyNotGPLForManuals

Debian does not agree with the FSF opinion on this.  The FSF's opinion 
is basically an excuse to allow their "invariant sections", which Debian
considers unacceptable.  The FSF severely exaggerates in order to 
promote the GFDL.

The GPL is a very suitable license for manuals in electronic form -- in 
electronic form, we *do* want source code for our manuals (troff, TeX, 
whatever).  In addition, it is *extremely* valuable for the manual to be 
licensed under the same license as the program.  *Extremely* valuable.  
This makes it far, far easier for people to move online help into the 
manual and back, and the same with comments in the code.

The GPL contains some clauses which are somewhat irritating for 
*printed* manuals *only*.  Debian does not think that this is a problem,
as Debian does not distribute printed manuals (the user can always 
print them himself).

If the manual has a single copyright holder (your company, 
perhaps), the copyright holder can always print and sell the manual, 
period, without restrictions, end of story; the copyright holder 
doesn't need a license to do so.

If you plan to use work copyrighted by other people in the manual, and 
you want to make printed copies; or if you want to make it easy for 
*other people* to make printed copies and sell them; then you can 
dual-license the manual under the GPL and a printing-friendly license.

If this is the same company which is licensing its software under a dual 
GPL-and-proprietary model, I think it probably makes the most sense for 
your company to simply license the manual under the GPL.  This means 
that your company is the only one which can distribute *printed* copies 
of the manual without attaching a CD, diskette, or offer to provide source
code.  Some people will probably be willing to pay for the 
professionally printed copies.  :-)


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