Re: [Bug-ed] ed-0.7 - GFDL license not included

[Claudio Fontana]

Hello,

On 8/2/07, Antonio Diaz Diaz <address@hidden> wrote:
> Matthias Klose wrote:
> > The texinfo manual is licensed under the GFDL, but the GFDL license
> > itself is not included in the tarball.
>
> As far as I know, it is not obligatory to include a copy of the GFDL in
> the tarball, and I think it is a waste to include one in a program as
> small as ed. In fact, no version of GNU ed has ever included a copy of
> the GFDL.

that's because the last version of GNU ed-AwM (ed-0.2) was released
when no GFDL existed. It does contain its licensing text, embedded in the
texinfo manual, containing usual pre-GFDL text.

> I know the addendum of the GFDL says that "to use this License in a
> document you have written, include a copy of the License in the document
> and put the following copyright and license notices just after the title
> page", but I consider this an advice and not an obligation.

I think otherwise, but I am ccing Karl to be sure.
If the licensing terms are not available for the receiver to read,
how can he know what his rights are?
Consider someone becoming a hard copy of the printed texinfo manual,
for example. We want him to know what he can and cannot do with that
copy of the manual.

> I agree that it could be useful to install a copy of the GFDL on every
> computer that includes GFDL licensed manuals, but as a software user, I
> find intolerably wasteful to have hundreds of manuals installed in my
> computer all of which include the same 21kB of legalese.
>
> But if you need a copy, I can send it to you by email or you can find it
> here http://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl.html.
>
>
> Regards,
> Antonio Diaz.

I think that the usual practice is to put a dedicated section in the texinfo
manual.

Ciao,
Claudio