Re: OK to distribute autoconf.texi under the GPL too?

[Paul Eggert]

Bob Friesenhahn <address@hidden> writes:

> One approach that Autoconf could take is to provide a special
> exception so that any sample code copied from the documentation is
> licensed under the GPL or LGPL rather than GFDL.

Thanks for this suggestion.  At the end of this message is a proposed
patch along those lines.  Would this patch be enough to satisfy the
Debian folks?

> It makes much more sense to incorportat that exception in GFDL though.

Changing the GFDL would take more work.  For now, how about if we
start with Autoconf?  If the result seems to work well in practice,
then we can take it to the GFDL level.

To apply this patch to Autoconf CVS, you must first get a copy of the
GPL, e.g., via the command (cd doc; wget
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.texi).

2004-12-19  Paul Eggert  <address@hidden>

        * doc/gpl.texi: New file, taken from FSF but with different
        section heading to fit into our manual.
        * doc/Makefile.am (autoconf_TEXINFOS): Add gpl.texi.
        * doc/autoconf.texi (@copying): Allow programs in this
        manual to be copied under the GPL.
        (GNU General Public License): New node.
        (Copying This Manual): Add a brief intro.

--- doc/gpl.texi-FSF    2001-07-15 04:55:07 -0700
+++ doc/gpl.texi        2004-12-19 06:57:49 -0800
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
address@hidden Copying
address@hidden GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
address@hidden GNU General Public License
address@hidden GNU General Public License
 @center Version 2, June 1991
 
 @c This file is intended to be included in another file.
Index: doc/Makefile.am
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/autoconf/autoconf/doc/Makefile.am,v
retrieving revision 1.29
diff -p -u -r1.29 Makefile.am
--- doc/Makefile.am     23 May 2003 13:09:30 -0000      1.29
+++ doc/Makefile.am     19 Dec 2004 15:30:33 -0000
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ## Process this file with automake to create Makefile.in.
 
 ## Makefile for Autoconf.
-## Copyright (C) 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003  Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+## Copyright (C) 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004  Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
 ## This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 ## it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ TEXI2HTML = texi2html
 TEXI2HTML_FLAGS = -split_chapter
 
 info_TEXINFOS = autoconf.texi standards.texi
-autoconf_TEXINFOS = fdl.texi install.texi
+autoconf_TEXINFOS = fdl.texi gpl.texi install.texi
 standards_TEXINFOS = make-stds.texi
 
 # Files from texi2dvi that should be removed, but which Automake does
Index: doc/autoconf.texi
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/autoconf/autoconf/doc/autoconf.texi,v
retrieving revision 1.854
diff -p -u -r1.854 autoconf.texi
--- doc/autoconf.texi   18 Dec 2004 00:44:34 -0000      1.854
+++ doc/autoconf.texi   19 Dec 2004 15:30:35 -0000
@@ -196,6 +196,12 @@ being ``A @acronym{GNU} Manual,'' and wi
 modify this @acronym{GNU} Manual, like @acronym{GNU} software.  Copies
 published by the Free Software Foundation raise funds for
 @acronym{GNU} development.''
+
+Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify the programs in this
+document under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published
+by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
+any later version.  A copy of this license is included in the section
+entitled address@hidden General Public License''.
 @end quotation
 @end copying
 
@@ -560,6 +566,7 @@ History of Autoconf
 Copying This Manual
 
 * GNU Free Documentation License::  License for copying this manual
+* GNU General Public License::      License for copying programs in this manual
 
 Indices
 
@@ -16293,11 +16300,17 @@ have free time again.  I think.  Yeah, r
 @appendix Copying This Manual
 @cindex License
 
+As the copyright notice explains, this manual can be copied under the
+terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, and the programs in this
+manual can be copied under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
+
 @menu
 * GNU Free Documentation License::  License for copying this manual
+* GNU General Public License::      License for copying programs in this manual
 @end menu
 
 @include fdl.texi
address@hidden gpl.texi
 
 @node Indices
 @appendix Indices