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Re: Are DFSG free package in non-us part of Debian?



On Sun, Nov 15, 1998 at 01:47:28AM +0100, Martin Schulze wrote:
> > Explain to me why, please, possibly by answering this simple question:
> > is `The GNU Privacy Guard' DFSG free?
> 
> The DFSG doesn't cover law of certain countries, thus I have to admit
> that the DFSG doesn't play the central role here.  Since the DFSG
> only covers redistribution through license it seems to be DFSG free.
> However due to lame crypto law it still cannot go into main and thus
> no package in main may depend/recommend on/ it.

If you want MY opinion (you don't of course, but I'm giving it anyway) GPG
-IS- DFSG free.  If the US bans free software will NOTHING be DFSG free
because it's banned?  Think about what you're saying!  GPG is not patented,
no part of it is.  There's nothing about GPG that is wrong EXCEPT that the
US gov't in their immense stupidity has decided to restrict it.  What if
they decide that ALL FREE SOFTWARE is too dangerous for 3rd world countries
to have because of the power it allows and decides that free software may
not be exported in machine readable form?

It'd be pointless, do as much good as the crypto laws do now, and it'd make
BillyG sing twinkle twinkle for 20/20 again...


Point is we should not let one stupid government decide what is free and
what is not on a global scale.

-- 
Show me the code or get out of my way.

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