From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Yoni Rabkin Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: license notices for README, INSTALL, NEW etc. Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:49:48 +0200 Message-ID: <87ein3xd43.fsf@rabkins.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: lo.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Trace: ger.gmane.org 1260445630 1186 80.91.229.12 (10 Dec 2009 11:47:10 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:47:10 +0000 (UTC) To: emacs-devel@gnu.org Original-X-From: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Thu Dec 10 12:47:02 2009 Return-path: Envelope-to: ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by lo.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.50) id 1NIhU6-00009q-E4 for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:47:02 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:43756 helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1NIhU6-0005Kl-8P for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:47:02 -0500 Original-Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1NIhTv-0005Jm-PN for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:46:51 -0500 Original-Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1NIhTg-0005FC-Pf for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:46:51 -0500 Original-Received: from [199.232.76.173] (port=58125 helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1NIhTg-0005Ez-CJ for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:46:36 -0500 Original-Received: from smtpauth22.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net ([64.202.165.44]:52354) by monty-python.gnu.org with smtp (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1NIhTg-0008DG-01 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:46:36 -0500 Original-Received: (qmail 16080 invoked from network); 10 Dec 2009 11:46:33 -0000 Original-Received: from unknown (81.199.250.36) by smtpauth22.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net (64.202.165.44) with ESMTP; 10 Dec 2009 11:46:32 -0000 X-Ethics: Use GNU User-Agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Emacs/23.1.90 (gnu/linux) X-detected-operating-system: by monty-python.gnu.org: Genre and OS details not recognized. X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: "Emacs development discussions." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Original-Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:118519 Archived-At: Hello, I volunteer for the GPL Compliance Lab [http://www.fsf.org/licensing/index_html]. A recent email we received was from someone who wants to use the information in the NEWS files of GNU packages such as Emacs under the terms of the GFDL, but couldn't because GNU/Emacs is packaged with all of those files licensed under the terms of the GNU GPL. The GNU maintainers manual suggests using a permissive license for those files [http://www.gnu.org/prep/maintain/maintain.html#License-Notices-for-Other-Files] (A copy of the text from the above link is included below for convenience). Unless there is some reason GNU/Emacs should be distributed differently from other GNU packages, I don't mind preparing and sending-in a patch to modify the license notices. EXCERPT FROM GNU MAINTAINERS MANUAL: " 4.6.4 License Notices for Other Files Small supporting files, short manuals (under 300 lines long) and rough documentation (README files, INSTALL files, etc.) can use a simple all-permissive license like this one: Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright notice and this notice are preserved. This file is offered as-is, without any warranty. Older versions of this license did not have the second sentence with the express warranty disclaimer. There is no urgent need to update existing files, but new files should use the new text. If your package distributes Autoconf macros that are intended to be used (hence distributed) by third-party packages under possibly incompatible licenses, you may also use the above all-permissive license for these macros. " -- "Cut your own wood and it will warm you twice"