Free World Licence.

[Ross N. Williams]

At 12:26 AM -0700 18/10/99, Bruce Perens wrote:
>From: "Ross N. Williams" <ross at rocksoft.com>
>> Free     : GNU/Linux (often called just "Linux"
>
>A license discussion! What a breath of fresh air compared to what we've
>been seeing lately on the license-discuss list :-)
>
>1. There are lots of Linux systems that contain non-free components. That's
>why we make this determination at the program level rather than the system
>level.

Aren't those sort of non-free components typically above the OS level?
My definition requires that only the parts that my program needs to
run be free.


>2. Restricting to "free platforms" as you define them would be contrary
>to section #9 of the Open Source Definition:
>
>	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 open-source software.

This isn't true. The licence has a GNU-like clause as follows:

   AGGREGATION: Mere aggregation of another work not based on
   the Module with the Module (or with a work based on the
   Module) on a volume of a storage or distribution medium does
   not bring the other work under the scope of this Licence.

Ross.

Dr Ross N. Williams (ross at rocksoft.com), +61 8 8232-6262 (fax-6264).
Director, Rocksoft Pty Ltd, Adelaide, Australia: http://www.rocksoft.com/ 
Protect your files with Veracity data integrity: http://www.veracity.com/