buggNewSense GNU/Linux - Bugs: bug #40741, /usr/share/doc/HOWTO/ has many...

 
 

bug #40741: /usr/share/doc/HOWTO/ has many files with ambiguous references to non-free software

Submitter:  Dennis Worthem <numi>
Submitted:  Thu 28 Nov 2013 06:02:22 PM UTC
   
 
Category:  gNewSense 3 Severity:  3 - Normal
Item Group:  Documentation Status:  Fixed
Privacy:  Public Assigned to:  numi
Open/Closed:  Closed
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Tue 31 Dec 2013 02:38:42 PM UTC, comment #3: 

I've uploaded the changes to bzr and closing.

Dennis Worthem <numi>
Group Member
Tue 31 Dec 2013 02:27:59 PM UTC, comment #2: 

I've uploaded the new versions to the package repository.

Sam Geeraerts <samgee>
Group administrator
Sun 29 Dec 2013 05:12:33 PM UTC, comment #1: 

The diff files have been submitted for doc-linux, doc-linux-hr, doc-linux-it, doc-linux-ja, doc-linux-pl. doc-linux-de and doc-linux-fr will be deleted via the parkes.yaml filter file in debderiver because, they do not build, nobody uses them, and Wheezy removed them.

Dennis Worthem <numi>
Group Member
Thu 28 Nov 2013 06:02:22 PM UTC, original submission:  

The /usr/share/doc/HOWTO/ directory contains files that generally describe packages or source code  available for various use domains.  These packages or source code are not necessarily in the gnuSense or upstream distributions but are merely described as available.

This directory seems like a really bad situation.  First there are a lot of ambiguous references to free vs. commercial versions of particular packages or sometimes open vs. commericial versions of particular packages.  It is not clear from the specific words or context whether they mean gratis vs. non-gratis or libre vs. non-libre.  There are enumerations of software packages in the specific subject areas and it is rarely or never made specific whether they are free vs. proprietary or even nothing is mentioned about licensing issues.  In almost all cases one would be required to go to the web site mentioned and determined from there what the freedom related statuses are.  To research and determine these issues will take an enormous amount of time not to mention the number of bug reports and patching work required.  Besides for the english versions(en-txt). One can imagine installing other languages would require fixing those. 

The proposed fix would be to add a new text file at /usr/share/doc/HOWTO/ explaining the problems with files in the directory tree.  Problems with ambiguous references to free vs. commericial ( something can be commercial and free and vice-versa) and that an individual considering use of these packages needs to evaluate the freeness of the individual packages such as going to the web site and investigating license issues.  The text file can explain principles of free software and/or provide links that would help the reader with suggestions on how to determine if the packages are actually libre.  Otherwise, the concern is about a "bottom-less" pit of work to do to clean all this up explicitly.

The attached file,HOWTO_Directory_BUGExamples.txt, gives examples of the problems.

Dennis Worthem <numi>
Group Member

 

(Note: upload size limit is set to 16384 kB, after insertion of the required escape characters.)

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Attached Files
file #30129:  40741_non-free_reference_doc_linux_pl.diff added by numi (7KiB - text/x-patch - The diff files are submitted for doc-linux, doc-linux-hr, doc-linux-it, doc-linux-ja, doc-linux-pl. doc-linux-de and doc-linux-fr will be deleted via the parkes.yaml filter file in debderiver because, do not build, nobody uses them, Wheezy removed them)

 

Depends on the following items: None found

Items that depend on this one: None found

 

Carbon-Copy List
  • -email is unavailable- added by samgee (Posted a comment)
  • -email is unavailable- added by numi (Submitted the item)
  • -email is unavailable- added by numi
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    Follow 11 latest changes.

    Date Changed by Updated Field Previous Value => Replaced by
    2013-12-31 numi StatusIn Progress Fixed
        Open/ClosedOpen Closed
    2013-12-31 samgee StatusNone In Progress
        Assigned toNone numi
    2013-12-29 numi Attached File- Added 40741_non-free_reference_doc_linux_pl.diff, #30129
    2013-12-29 numi Attached File- Added 40741_non-free_reference_doc_linux.diff, #30125
        Attached File- Added 40741_non-free_reference_doc_linux_hr.diff, #30126
        Attached File- Added 40741_non-free_reference_doc_linux_it.diff, #30127
        Attached File- Added 40741_non-free_reference_doc_linux_ja.diff, #30128
    2013-11-28 numi Attached File- Added HOWTO_Directory_BUGExamples.txt, #29729
        Carbon-Copy- Added -email is unavailable-

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