[maemo-developers] Ask for removal of some packages from Extras Fremantle repository

[From: Bernd Stramm]

GPL issues below

On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 4:41 PM, Darren Long <darren.long at mac.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> See below ...
>
> On 22 Mar 2010, at 19:55, Till Harbaum / Lists wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > why should you have to continue to provide the sources once you removed
> the binaries?
>
> Doesn't the GPL say so?  I believe that if the source isn't provided with
> the binaries, then it has to be available for 3 years, from those who
> distributed the binaries, which in this case is maemo.org.
>
> My example of pygtkeditor isn't such a great one. As it is written in
> python, the source ships to all recipients anyway, so perhaps I should have
> stayed in my hole and kept quiet :)
>
> >
> > And why should you insist
>
> Because the GPL says we can.
>

The GPL says he has to make the source code available. It doesn't say that
is has to be in a particular place. So I don't think you can tell him where
that place is.

>
> > on uploading old versions to maemo respositories
>
> I'm just not inclined to support the removal of open source packages from
> the maemo.org repos, when we/they don't have to.  We/they could just push
> new builds through extras as and when new packages appear on any other repo,
> as with any other free package, so there's no reason why they would be (too)
> old.
>
> > which a) just ignores the authors wishes and worse b) interferes with his
> work on establishing his own repository.
>
> If those wishes aren't aligned with the GPL, then I'm not sure I'm all that
> bothered (again I'm not being specific to this case - no offence Benoit, but
> in general) by them.
>
> Issues with a repository clash are a problem, though.  Its not as if anyone
> can just switch distros from maemo so there are obviously ramifications if
> the wishes don't come true.
>
> Maybe there is a more appropriate solution that could be reached than the
> one being advocated.
>
> >
> > Let him his freedom. Let him start his own repository and just see if he
> fails and ends up on those "warning, this repository is dangerous" lists or
> if he perhaps succeeds and ends as "the famous community driven repository
> that is more reliable and causes less anger and has cooler apps than the
> maemo repositories"?
>
> Do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?  I seem to remember
> that Spock and Kirk had different views and my ears are a little bit pointy
> :)
>
> >
> > Who knows? Why not just letting him do this? Don't take all this so
> serious! Heck, it's only a cell phone we are talking about. It's not the end
> of the world if someone actually has fun messing with its possibilities.
>
> Its not this specific case I have issues with, its the principle, in
> general, of withdrawing GPL code from the maemo.org repos.  No-one has the
> right to require its removal.
>
> Darren
>
> >
> > Till
> >
> > Am Montag 22 März 2010 schrieb Darren Long:
> >> Presumably the source must continue to be available from the extras
> repositories, even after the package binaries have been removed, assuming
> its under the GPL, which e.g. Pygtkeditor is.
> >>
> >> I'd suggest not removing the binary packages from extras, on the grounds
> that they don't have to be removed, and that maemo.org is free to
> distribute them if we/they so wish.
> >>
> >> Furthermore, there is no reason why someone from maemo.org shouldn't
> push source packages from  other repositories into extras* to keep them up
> to date and readily available in the maemo context.  This is true for any
> upstream free package  in general, and equally true for any desirable
> package that just so happens to have been pulled from extras on a whim.
> >>
> >> No disrespect to Benoit intended.
> >>
> >> Darren
> >
>
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