[Mageia-dev] Repository question: where do we put non-free+tainted RPMs?

Tux99 tux99-mga at uridium.org
Mon Mar 14 23:28:00 CET 2011



Quote: Michael Scherer wrote on Mon, 14 March 2011 21:49

> Le dimanche 13 mars 2011 à 21:09 +0100, Samuel Verschelde a écrit :
> > Le dimanche 13 mars 2011 21:01:15, Thomas Backlund a écrit :
> > > sön 2011-03-13 klockan 21:55 +0200 skrev Tux99:
> > > > During the review with my mentor Anssi of one of the
> > > > packages I'm working
> > > > on, the question came up what the appropriate repository
> > > > for a package is
> > > > that's both non-free (open source but not a FOSS license)
> > > > and tainted
> > > > (contains sw. that is covered by patents in some parts of
> > > > the world).
> > > > 
> > > > Should a non-free+tainted package go in tainted, i.e. is
> > > > the tainted repo
> > > > for all tainted packages, both free and non-free
> > > 
> > > tainted, as thats a "bigger" issue than nonfree
> > > 
> > > --
> > > Thomas
> > 
> > I would have said the opposite, so that using core + tainted you're
> > sure to 
> > get free software :)
> 
> The same.
> 
> Ie, a non-free may have more stringent distribution requirements than
> a
> free software. 

I don't understand what you mean, the packages in 'non-free' are being
distributed the same way as the ones in 'core' or 'tainted', i.e. on all
mirrors and partially on ISOs/CDs/DVDs, otherwise we wouldn't even be able
to include them in the repos at all.

The issue with 'non-free' is generally one of limitations on the use of the
software and/or source code not normally of distribution, in Mandriva the
software with distribution restrictions normally ends up in 'restricted'
not in 'non-free'.

On the other hand a 'tainted+non-free' package has the bigger issue of
containing patent issues (at least for some countries) so I would assume
that it's a lot more important to keep 'tainted' packages clearly separate
for people or mirrors that don't want to risk breaking patent laws in the
affected countries.

If we put 'tainted+non-free' software in 'non-free' then it will be very
hard for a normal user or mirror admin to recognize it as being a
potential patent liability.

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