From 88fc5afbccc959d0be70e4561a212dd18258aa8e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Bruno Haible Date: Sun, 17 May 2020 19:27:08 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] Clarify intended usage of the license file modules. Reported by Asher Gordon in . * doc/licenses-texi.texi (License Texinfo sources): Mention the GNU AGPL. Explain the intended usage of the modules. * modules/fdl (Notice): Discourage use as a module. * modules/fdl-1.3 (Notice): Likewise. --- ChangeLog | 10 ++++++++++ doc/licenses-texi.texi | 34 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-- modules/fdl | 3 +++ modules/fdl-1.3 | 3 +++ 4 files changed, 48 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog index 65abbb5598..9551d9934d 100644 --- a/ChangeLog +++ b/ChangeLog @@ -1,3 +1,13 @@ +2020-05-17 Bruno Haible + + Clarify intended usage of the license file modules. + Reported by Asher Gordon in + . + * doc/licenses-texi.texi (License Texinfo sources): Mention the + GNU AGPL. Explain the intended usage of the modules. + * modules/fdl (Notice): Discourage use as a module. + * modules/fdl-1.3 (Notice): Likewise. + 2020-05-17 Akim Demaille hash: add hash_xinsert diff --git a/doc/licenses-texi.texi b/doc/licenses-texi.texi index 60110ef096..d226bc8d02 100644 --- a/doc/licenses-texi.texi +++ b/doc/licenses-texi.texi @@ -1,8 +1,8 @@ @node License Texinfo sources @section License Texinfo sources -Gnulib provides copies of the GNU GPL, GNU LGPL, and GNU FDL licenses -in Texinfo form. (The master location is +Gnulib provides copies of the GNU GPL, GNU LGPL, GNU Affero GPL, and +GNU FDL licenses in Texinfo form. (The master location is @url{https://www.gnu.org/licenses/}). These Texinfo documents do not have any node names and structures built into them; for your manual, you should @code{@@include} them in an appropriate @code{@@node}. @@ -12,3 +12,33 @@ The conventional name for the GPL node is @samp{Copying} and for the FDL a conventional node name. Of course the license texts themselves should not be changed at all. + +The recommended way to make use of these license files, consistently +with current practice, is as follows: +@itemize +@item +The code license (GNU GPL, GNU LGPL, or GNU Affero GPL) is usually +present as a file in the top-level directory. This is true not only for +the release tarballs, but also in the VCS repository. The file is +typically named @samp{COPYING} for the GNU GPL, or @samp{COPYING.LIB} or +@samp{COPYING.LESSER} for the GNU LGPL. The presence of this file +fulfills a legal obligation; see +@url{https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#WhyMustIInclude}. + +To make use of the code license in your documentation, you may request +one of the modules @code{gpl-3.0}, @code{gpl-2.0}, @code{lgpl-3.0}, +@code{lgpl-2.1}, @code{agpl-3.0}, through a @code{gnulib-tool} invocation. +Or you may copy the relevant Texinfo file directly into your VCS repository. +Both approaches are equally good. The Texinfo file changes very rarely. +@item +The documentation license file (GNU FDL) is usually not present as a +file in the top-level directory, because that would be ambiguous: When +you use the GNU FDL, you need to specify the Invariant Sections, the +Front-Cover Texts, and the Back-Cover Texts. + +To make use of this documentation license, copy the relevant Texinfo +file into your VCS repository. This makes sure that anyone who receives +a copy of your VCS repository has also received a copy of the +documentation license. In the documentation, also state what are the +Invariant Sections, the Front-Cover Texts, and the Back-Cover Texts. +@end itemize diff --git a/modules/fdl b/modules/fdl index 6d6f85996a..251939af9b 100644 --- a/modules/fdl +++ b/modules/fdl @@ -1,6 +1,9 @@ Description: Provide the GNU Free Documentation License in Texinfo format. +Notice: +Don't use this module! Instead, copy the referenced license file into your version control repository. + Files: doc/fdl.texi diff --git a/modules/fdl-1.3 b/modules/fdl-1.3 index c4d1dd6a74..760a707b15 100644 --- a/modules/fdl-1.3 +++ b/modules/fdl-1.3 @@ -1,6 +1,9 @@ Description: Provide the GNU Free Documentation License version 1.3 in Texinfo format. +Notice: +Don't use this module! Instead, copy the referenced license file into your version control repository. + Files: doc/fdl-1.3.texi -- 2.39.5