Require "this program is free software .... " notice to be preserved on the splash screen

[James Lu <jamtlu@gmail.com>]

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Some distributions of Emacs, such as Spacemacs, replace Emacs' splash
screen with one that heeds no mention to free software. (Spacemacs includes
a logo of Spacemacs, a bunch of menu items, and a changelog.)

In order to avoid another fiasco of the sort of the GNU/Linux controversy,
where a variant of GNU software was called something else and disassociated
from free software, I propose we exercise section 7.4 of GPLv3 to require
"require preservation of specified reasonable legal notices or author
attributions in that material or in the Appropriate Legal Notices displayed
by works containing it"

"You may convey verbatim copies of the Program's source code as you receive
it, in any medium, **provided that you conspicuously and appropriately
publish on each copy an appropriate copyright notice**; keep intact all
notices stating that this License and any non-permissive term"

"The work must carry prominent notices stating that it is released under
this License and any conditions added under section 7."

Most users do not go into the settings of an application to read licenses.
I would not consider that sort of attribution "prominent" and "conspicuous"
as the GPL requires.

This also nudges users of alternate distributions to read about free
software, instead of using it oblivious. Just having more people consider
the idea of free software is good for our movement.

If the GPL is not able to require a "This program is free software..."
style notice, a "(C) Free Software Foundation 2021, under the GNU GPLv3
<link to the GPL>" should be manageable.

Furthermore, we should require preservation of the "author attribution" of
"About GNU" in the menu.

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