Re: Copyright question

[Carsten Dominik <dominik@science.uva.nl>]

On Jun 14, 2008, at 12:48 AM, Richard M Stallman wrote:

>> Also, you do not need to abandon the GFDL to be allowed in the main
>> section of Debian.  You "only" need to use the GFDL without any
>> front&back matters (IIRC).
>
>    Well, I am happy with this solution,
>
> We do not need a solution because we don't have a problem.
> Debian has a problem, and the solution for that is to change their  
> policy.
>
> Please do not make this change; it goes against our licensing  
> policies.

Ok, so I cannot make this change to the version of the manual in GNU  
Emacs.

However, for me the highest priority is that the free software
I write and the documentation that accompanies it should be
available to other with the best guaranties that its use remains
free.  THis is why I distribute Org-mode under the GPL, with Emacs.

I don't have the time or inclination to try to advance this
discussion about the GFDL.  I have been reading some of the
past discussion, and it seems clear to me what the positions are
and that they are not likely to change soon.

The point is, independent of who is right or wrong, I would like
to cater for the needs of the Debian project.  Since I am asked
to not change the copyright for the Manual as distributed with
GNU Emacs, the question that remains for me is this:  Does the
fact that the Org-mode manual is under GFDL mean that I cannot
distribute, separately, a version that I put under GPL?   Or do
I as the author have the freedom to do just that?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

- Carsten