Re: Remove license modules

[Asher Gordon]

Hi Bruno,

Bruno Haible <address@hidden> writes:

> Now it has completed, and it turned out you were confusing the license
> texts in text format (which ought to be added to VCS directly) and the
> license texts in Texinfo format (for which gnulib modules are
> appropriate).

Well I didn't include the GFDL in plain text format in my package. I
only included it in Texinfo format, but Ineiev accepted my package
nevertheless. I think the Texinfo format licenses are human readable
enough that it is sufficient to just include those. In fact, it seems
this is what Gnulib itself does.

But as Ineiev points out, the modules are valid for two of the three
methods described in (gnulib) VCS Issues. So I think instead that the
documentation should be updated. See the patch to update the
documentation below. I added an anchor, VCS Omissions, under the VCS
Issues node in gnulib-tool.texi. I think that since the relevant
material is slightly far down on the page, if I link directly to VCS
Issues, it could cause confusion. However, feel free to remove the
anchor if you see fit. I also fixed a minor issue where "VCS" ended with
"." rather than "@." (see (texinfo) Ending a Sentence).

From 022bd24bebde0e033a37b6c43770382fed996a39 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Asher Gordon <address@hidden>
Date: Sat, 16 May 2020 13:49:02 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] doc: Update to indicate that license files must always be
 included.

* doc/gnulib-tool.texi (VCS Omissions): New anchor under the VCS
Issues node. Describe the license issues here.
* doc/license-texi.texi: Mention the license issues and link to
VCS Omissions.
---
 ChangeLog              |  8 ++++++++
 doc/gnulib-tool.texi   | 15 +++++++++++----
 doc/licenses-texi.texi |  4 ++++
 3 files changed, 23 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 889c756eb..75a4c37a5 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2020-05-16  Asher Gordon  <address@hidden>
+
+       doc: Update to indicate that license files must always be included.
+       * doc/gnulib-tool.texi (VCS Omissions): New anchor under the VCS
+       Issues node. Describe the license issues here.
+       * doc/license-texi.texi: Mention the license issues and link to
+       VCS Omissions.
+
 2020-05-16  Bruno Haible  <address@hidden>
 
        findprog-lgpl: Fix link error (existing since 2008-09-02).
diff --git a/doc/gnulib-tool.texi b/doc/gnulib-tool.texi
index 44a393a69..ca9837240 100644
--- a/doc/gnulib-tool.texi
+++ b/doc/gnulib-tool.texi
@@ -914,12 +914,19 @@ Gnulib also contains files generated by @command{make} 
(and removed by
 into the VCS, but instead added to @file{.gitignore} or equivalent.
 
 @item
+@anchor{VCS Omissions}
 In projects which customarily omit from their VCS all files that are
 generated from other source files, none of these files and directories
-are added into the VCS.  As described in @ref{Modified imports}, there
-are two ways to keep track of options and module names that are passed
-to @code{gnulib-tool}.  The command for restoring the omitted files
-depends on it:
+are added into the VCS@.  However, please note: licenses must always be
+included in the VCS, whether in plain text format or Texinfo format.
+Projects which omit all generated files from their VCS may prefer to
+copy the license files directly rather than using the Gnulib modules.
+Alternatively, they can include the licenses in plain text format and
+use the Gnulib modules for the licenses in Texinfo format.
+@xref{License Texinfo sources}.  As described in @ref{Modified imports},
+there are two ways to keep track of options and module names that are
+passed to @code{gnulib-tool}.  The command for restoring the omitted
+files depends on it:
 
 @itemize @bullet
 @item
diff --git a/doc/licenses-texi.texi b/doc/licenses-texi.texi
index 60110ef09..2bcb2bed5 100644
--- a/doc/licenses-texi.texi
+++ b/doc/licenses-texi.texi
@@ -12,3 +12,7 @@ The conventional name for the GPL node is @samp{Copying} and 
for the FDL
 a conventional node name.
 
 Of course the license texts themselves should not be changed at all.
+
+Please note that if you use these modules, you must still include a copy
+of the license in plain text format or Texinfo format in the VCS@.
+@xref{VCS Omissions} for more information.
-- 
2.26.2

Thanks,
Asher

-- 
One meets his destiny often on the road he takes to avoid it.

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