On 5/12/05, Kaare Hviid <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Thu, 2005-05-12 at 01:13 -0500, Adam M wrote: > > Hi, > > > > I have compiled a list of packages in non-free that can be included in > > Amd64's non-free. A few days ago I have posted the entire list of good > > and bad packages on debian-devel[1]. They can also be found at, > > > > http://people.debian.org/~adamm/non-free/ > > > > bad.txt - not distributable > > good.txt - distributable > > > > I think non-free is important to be part of Amd64 port for Sarge due > > to a few important packages like, like RFCs and the nvidia drivers. > > > > Now that I have reviewed these licenses, will Amd64 port carry > > non-free in Sarge? > > > > - Adam > > I just finished my own review of the non-free packages. > Please don't misunderstand me - I'm not trying to tell you what to > do, I just thought I'd give it a shot and have a look at the non-free > licenses. Also, I'm by no means a lawyer, nor am I a DD - I'm just a > layman. I've used the Packages list of a current i386 *sarge* box, and > had invaluable help from http://nonfree.alioth.debian.org/. My criteria
I didn't use nonfree.alioth.debian.org and I didn't use Packages. I used current Sources and read the dreaded debian/*copyright files from each of the source packages. It might have been better if you raised some questions about why I put something in good.txt and other stuff in bad.txt and then point to relevant sections of the licenses I looked at [1]. Trying to match the binary<->source can be tricky. Anyway, I just want to look at the nvidia package where you said, > "Notwithstanding the foregoing terms of > Section 2.1.1, SOFTWARE designed exclusively for use on the > Linux operating system may be copied and redistributed, provided > that the binary files thereof are not modified in any way > (except for unzipping of compressed files)." Debian, and > apparently Ubuntu, have special permission for distributing. > The intent is probably only to deny OEMs to rebundle the stuff > without nVidia's permission. What I think nVidia does is use the same license for distribution for Linux, Windows and Mac but they have an exception for Linux distributions that allow redistribution of their binary drivers. The binary drivers themselves are not permitted to be modified (how? with a hex editor? :). GPLed stuff of course can be modified. If nothing else, I think the nVidia drivers and the RFCs must be distributed by Amd64 for Sarge if the port is going to have some penetration into the destrop market. If there is no nvidia drivers, people will try to install them with the nvidia installer and butcher their installations. They will then complain that Amd64 Sarge is crap because they cannot even get their FX6666 card to work! That's my 2 Canadian cents! - Adam [1] - all licenses I read are in http://people.debian.org/~adamm/non-free/licenses/
