> I did not see any statement to this effect in the LPPL draft that was > posted here: > > http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2002/debian-legal-200207/msg00007.html > > I would love to hear that I had completely missed it, or that you've > changed the draft to include such a statement.
My understanding is that no such statement is necessary (but there is one anyway:-) (Also it's difficult for latex to talk of command names, even more than files, latex is used on systems with no command line, so you have to interpret "command name" as "menu option or icony thing or anything else that can be reasonably construed as starting the program from a user action", which propbably isn't legally watertight...) To take that specific example. pslatex does not modify any of the latex source or run time files so is clearly not in breach of the LPPL. It does have a pile of extra tex macros that redefine chunks of latex, but LPPL explictly does not forbid redefintions it just says such redefinitions should not be in a file of the same name as the original. Then wrapping it all up it has a new shell script which called "pslatex" which calls standard latex on the user's document while inserting the redefinitions in a suitably cunning way. This shell script again is not a modification of any part of latex and doesn't share any name with any part of latex so clearly is not in breach of LPPL. This is spelled out more fully in the latex modification guide modguide.tex which is referenced in the preamble of the LPPL draft you quoted. modguide.tex is in the base latex distribution, or ready formatted here: ftp://ftp.tex.ac.uk/tex-archive/macros/latex/doc/modguide.pdf the relevant bit of modguide.tex source says \section{Modification conditions} \label{sec:modcon} It is possible that you need to produce a document processing system based on standard \LaTeX{} but with functionality that cannot be implemented by using the approved configuration files and complying with the restriction on the code that is allowed in them. In other words, you may need a system which is sufficiently distinct from Standard \LaTeX{} that it is not feasible to do this simply by using the configuration options we provide or by producing new classes and packages. If you do produce such a system then, for the reasons described above, you should ensure that your system is clearly distinguished from Standard \LaTeX{} in every possible way, including the following. \begin{enumerate} \item Give your system a distinguished name, such as \nstex, which clearly distinguishes it from \LaTeX{}. \item Ensure that it contains no file with a name the same as that of a file in the standard distribution but with different contents. (If this is not possible then you must: \begin{itemize} \item ensure that files from the non-\LaTeX{} system cannot be accidentally accessed whilst using a standard \LaTeX{}; \item ensure that each file from the non-\LaTeX{} system clearly identifies itself as a non-\LaTeX{} file on the terminal and in the log file.) \end{itemize} \item Ensure that the method used to run your system is clearly \label{mcon:command} distinct from that used to run Standard \LaTeX; e.g.~by using a command name or menu entry that is clearly not \texttt{latex} (or \texttt{LaTeX} etc). \item Ensure that, when a file is being processed by your system, the use of non-standard \LaTeX{} is clearly proclaimed to the user by whatever means is appropriate. \item Ensure that what is written at the beginning of the log file clearly shows that your system has been used, and that it is not Standard \LaTeX{}. See the file \texttt{cfgguide.tex} for how to achieve this. \item Clearly explain to users that bug reports concerning your system should not be sent to the maintainers of Standard \LaTeX{}. \end{enumerate} _____________________________________________________________________ This message has been checked for all known viruses by Star Internet delivered through the MessageLabs Virus Scanning Service. For further information visit http://www.star.net.uk/stats.asp or alternatively call Star Internet for details on the Virus Scanning Service. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]