[GNU-linux-libre] GNU Buck as incentive for helping to find nonfree programs

[John Sullivan]

(Sending this on behalf of Brett Smith, please send any off-list info or
questions to address@hidden)

Ever since we published the guidelines for what it takes to be a free
system distribution
(<http://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html>),
we've been thinking about how we can better deal with the issue of
nonfree software that is accidentally included in these distributions.
We're confident that the policy requirements that we currently have,
expecting distros to dedicate themselves to removing any nonfree
software that's discovered, are the right ones. But we've been looking
for practical ways to be more proactive about addressing those sorts
of problems -- steps that are within our means and the means of
distribution maintainers like you. And we've come up with a new
program that we think will do a good job of striking that balance.

We're calling it the GNU Bucks program. If you're familiar with the
rewards that Donald Knuth gives out for finding errors in his texts,
this works similarly. We will ask people to send complete, detailed
bug reports to the appropriate distros, and copy us. If the bug report
leads to nonfree software being removed, they'll receive a special
"GNU Buck" signed by RMS, along with public recognition on a web page
if they like.

When that happens, we'll also spread word to other endorsed distros,
through the gnu-linux-libre mailing list, to make sure they can
address the issue too. That way, we'll get as much benefit from this
work as possible.

In order to implement this program, can you please let us know how you
would like to receive these bug reports? Any reasonable method is fine
-- e-mail, bug tracker, RT, you get the idea. We'll collect all that
information for all the endorsed distros and publish it on the GNU
Bucks site -- we want to make sure that you can deal with these
reports as easily as possible. And of course, if you have any
questions about the program, feel free to ask me at address@hidden

Best regards,  
Brett Smith
FSF Licensing Compliance Engineer  

-- 
John Sullivan
Manager of Operations
GPG Key: AE8600B6