Re: A restrictive(?) LDP License

[Terry Dawson <terry@albert.animats.net>]

On Sun, Oct 03, 1999 at 10:54:50PM -0700, David Lawyer wrote:

> Well, here's what the existing Manifesto (without any revision) says
> about this:
> 
>    LDP documents must be freely redistributable without fees paid to the
>    authors. It is not required that the text be modifiable, but it is
>    encouraged.
> 
> This means that all LDP docs may be freely distributed in any medium
> (including printed form).  It means that anyone may make copies and
> then give them away or sell them (and the author can't require any fee
> to be paid to him for this).  However, while the author might have been
> paid for writing the document, once it's in the hands of the LDP (on
> our websites) anyone is free to copy it.  Thus if someone presents a
> doc to the LDP and the license does not allow free copying and
> distribution (copying is implied by "freely redistributable") then the
> LDP rejects it.  This rule in force right now and has been for some
> time.

David,
I think you're reading a lot into that single sentence that isn't actually
said.

For a start it is contradicted by the second paragraph of the 'Overview'
section which talks about the LDP docs being 'freely available' in a similar
fashion to the GNU GPL which specifically allows modification and derivative
works not just encourages them. The freedom is more than freedom to
redistribute.

Secondly it talks about 'documents' but does not define the term. I think a
straw poll on the definition of document would reveal singificant numbers
of varying views.

Thirdly, I believe that the LDP license conditions *must* allow modification
of the content. This shouldn't be a negotiable condition. Again, it's
extremely difficult to edit/correct/publish a document that doesn't allow
you to modify the text.

Lastly, I think we need to be clear that transformations of documents into
other media/formats/etc. is also allowed. I don't think the single sentence
catch all allows that.

regards
Terry

-- 
terry@albert.animats.net, terry@linux.org.au


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