diff -r 000000000000 -r 0e4335f01909 freedom.rst --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/freedom.rst Mon Dec 01 22:44:15 2008 +0200 @@ -0,0 +1,253 @@ +-*- mode: outline; fill-column:78 -*- + +* The Open Source Definition (Annotated) + +Version 1.9 + +The indented, italicized sections below appear as annotations to the Open Source +Definition (OSD) and are not a part of the OSD. A plain version of the OSD without +annotations can be found here. Introduction + +Open source doesn't just mean access to the source code. The distribution terms of +open-source software must comply with the following criteria: + +1. Free Redistribution + +The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving away the software as a +component of an aggregate software distribution containing programs from several different +sources. The license shall not require a royalty or other fee for such sale. + +Rationale: By constraining the license to require free redistribution, we eliminate the +temptation to throw away many long-term gains in order to make a few short-term sales +dollars. If we didn't do this, there would be lots of pressure for cooperators to defect. + +2. Source Code + +The program must include source code, and must allow distribution in source code as well +as compiled form. Where some form of a product is not distributed with source code, there +must be a well-publicized means of obtaining the source code for no more than a reasonable +reproduction cost preferably, downloading via the Internet without charge. The source code +must be the preferred form in which a programmer would modify the program. Deliberately +obfuscated source code is not allowed. Intermediate forms such as the output of a +preprocessor or translator are not allowed. + +Rationale: We require access to un-obfuscated source code because you can't evolve +programs without modifying them. Since our purpose is to make evolution easy, we require +that modification be made easy. + +3. Derived Works + +The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be +distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software. + +Rationale: The mere ability to read source isn't enough to support independent peer review +and rapid evolutionary selection. For rapid evolution to happen, people need to be able to +experiment with and redistribute modifications. + +4. Integrity of The Author's Source Code + +The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified form only if the +license allows the distribution of "patch files" with the source code for the purpose of +modifying the program at build time. The license must explicitly permit distribution of +software built from modified source code. The license may require derived works to carry a +different name or version number from the original software. + +Rationale: Encouraging lots of improvement is a good thing, but users have a right to know +who is responsible for the software they are using. Authors and maintainers have +reciprocal right to know what they're being asked to support and protect their +reputations. + +Accordingly, an open-source license must guarantee that source be readily available, but +may require that it be distributed as pristine base sources plus patches. In this way, +"unofficial" changes can be made available but readily distinguished from the base source. + +5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups + +The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons. + +Rationale: In order to get the maximum benefit from the process, the maximum diversity of +persons and groups should be equally eligible to contribute to open sources. Therefore we +forbid any open-source license from locking anybody out of the process. + +Some countries, including the United States, have export restrictions for certain types of +software. An OSD-conformant license may warn licensees of applicable restrictions and +remind them that they are obliged to obey the law; however, it may not incorporate such +restrictions itself. + +6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor + +The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of +endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from being used in a business, or +from being used for genetic research. + +Rationale: The major intention of this clause is to prohibit license traps that prevent +open source from being used commercially. We want commercial users to join our community, +not feel excluded from it. + +7. Distribution of License + +The rights attached to the program must apply to all to whom the program is redistributed +without the need for execution of an additional license by those parties. + +Rationale: This clause is intended to forbid closing up software by indirect means such as +requiring a non-disclosure agreement. + +8. License Must Not Be Specific to a Product + +The rights attached to the program must not depend on the program's being part of a +particular software distribution. If the program is extracted from that distribution and +used or distributed within the terms of the program's license, all parties to whom the +program is redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in +conjunction with the original software distribution. + +Rationale: This clause forecloses yet another class of license traps. + +9. License Must Not Restrict Other Software + +The license must not place restrictions on other software that is distributed along with +the licensed software. For example, the license must not insist that all other programs +distributed on the same medium must be open-source software. + +Rationale: Distributors of open-source software have the right to make their own choices +about their own software. + +Yes, the GPL is conformant with this requirement. Software linked with GPLed libraries +only inherits the GPL if it forms a single work, not any software with which they are +merely distributed. + +10. License Must Be Technology-Neutral + +No provision of the license may be predicated on any individual technology or style of +interface. + +Rationale: This provision is aimed specifically at licenses which require an explicit +gesture of assent in order to establish a contract between licensor and licensee. +Provisions mandating so-called "click-wrap" may conflict with important methods of +software distribution such as FTP download, CD-ROM anthologies, and web mirroring; such +provisions may also hinder code re-use. Conformant licenses must allow for the possibility +that (a) redistribution of the software will take place over non-Web channels that do not +support click-wrapping of the download, and that (b) the covered code (or re-used portions +of covered code) may run in a non-GUI environment that cannot support popup dialogues. + +* Social Contract with the Free Software Community + +Version 1.1 + +1. Debian will remain 100% free + +We provide the guidelines that we use to determine if a work is free in the document +entitled The Debian Free Software Guidelines. We promise that the Debian system and all +its components will be free according to these guidelines. We will support people who +create or use both free and non-free works on Debian. We will never make the system +require the use of a non-free component. + +2. We will give back to the free software community + +When we write new components of the Debian system, we will license them in a manner +consistent with the Debian Free Software Guidelines. We will make the best system we can, +so that free works will be widely distributed and used. We will communicate things such as +bug fixes, improvements and user requests to the upstream authors of works included in our +system. + +3. We will not hide problems + +We will keep our entire bug report database open for public view at all times. Reports +that people file online will promptly become visible to others. + +4. Our priorities are our users and free software + +We will be guided by the needs of our users and the free software community. We will place +their interests first in our priorities. We will support the needs of our users for +operation in many different kinds of computing environments. We will not object to +non-free works that are intended to be used on Debian systems, or attempt to charge a fee +to people who create or use such works. We will allow others to create distributions +containing both the Debian system and other works, without any fee from us. In furtherance +of these goals, we will provide an integrated system of high-quality materials with no +legal restrictions that would prevent such uses of the system. + +5. Works that do not meet our free software standards + +We acknowledge that some of our users require the use of works that do not conform to the +Debian Free Software Guidelines. We have created contrib and non-free areas in our archive +for these works. The packages in these areas are not part of the Debian system, although +they have been configured for use with Debian. We encourage CD manufacturers to read the +licenses of the packages in these areas and determine if they can distribute the packages +on their CDs. Thus, although non-free works are not a part of Debian, we support their use +and provide infrastructure for non-free packages (such as our bug tracking system and +mailing lists). + +* The Debian Free Software Guidelines (DFSG) + + 1. Free Redistribution + +The license of a Debian component may not restrict any party from selling or giving away +the software as a component of an aggregate software distribution containing programs from +several different sources. The license may not require a royalty or other fee for such +sale. + + 2. Source Code + +The program must include source code, and must allow distribution in source code as well +as compiled form. + +3. Derived Works + +The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be +distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software. + +4. Integrity of The Author's Source Code + +The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified form _only_ if the +license allows the distribution of patch files with the source code for the purpose of +modifying the program at build time. The license must explicitly permit distribution of +software built from modified source code. The license may require derived works to carry a +different name or version number from the original software. (This is a compromise. The +Debian group encourages all authors not to restrict any files, source or binary, from +being modified.) + +5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups + +The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons. + +6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor + +The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of +endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from being used in a business, or +from being used for genetic research. + +7. Distribution of License + +The rights attached to the program must apply to all to whom the program is redistributed +without the need for execution of an additional license by those parties. + +8. License Must Not Be Specific to Debian + +The rights attached to the program must not depend on the program's being part of a Debian +system. If the program is extracted from Debian and used or distributed without Debian but +otherwise within the terms of the program's license, all parties to whom the program is +redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in conjunction with +the Debian system. + +9. License Must Not Contaminate Other Software + +The license must not place restrictions on other software that is distributed along with +the licensed software. For example, the license must not insist that all other programs +distributed on the same medium must be free software. + +10. Example Licenses + +The GPL, BSD, and Artistic licenses are examples of licenses that we consider free. + +* The Free Software Definition + +Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change +and improve the software. More precisely, it refers to four kinds of freedom, for the +users of the software: + + * The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0). + * The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1). + Access to the source code is a precondition for this. + * The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2). + * The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so + that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). + * Access to the source code is a precondition for this.