Bug#1135657: bmagic: DFSG Issues

[Adrian Bunk]

On Mon, May 04, 2026 at 05:58:43AM -0400, Reinhard Tartler wrote:
> Package: bmagic
> Version: 7.13.4+dfsg-1
> Severity: serious
> 
> Dear Maintainer,
> 
> I am filing this bug report with severity serious because the current
> version of bmagic in the archive contains several violations of the
> Debian Free Software Guidelines (DFSG) and licensing documentation
> requirements.
> 
> 1. Non-Free Attribution Requirement (DFSG 1 & 3)
> The LICENSE file (and README.md) contains a clause that states:
> "Proper BitMagic reference on your product/project page is a REQUIREMENT
> for using the Library."
> This "requirement" to maintain a specific reference on a project page
> goes beyond standard attribution and imposes a specific redistribution
> burden. This is effectively an advertising-style clause that restricts
> free redistribution and the creation of derived works, making it
> incompatible with the DFSG.
>...

4-clause BSD with the advertising clause has always been recognized as 
DFSG-free (and is also listed at [1]):

  All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software
  must display the following acknowledgement: This product includes
  software developed by the <copyright holder>.


AGPLv3 with the following clause is DFSG-free[2]:

  Notwithstanding any other provision of this License, if you modify the 
  Program, your modified version must prominently offer all users 
  interacting with it remotely through a computer network (if your 
  version supports such interaction) an opportunity to receive the 
  Corresponding Source of your version by providing access to the 
  Corresponding Source from a network server at no charge, through some 
  standard or customary means of facilitating copying of software.

(Debian provides modified AGPLv3 software (e.g. Redis), in which cases
 I'd assume our users have this obligation no matter whether they made 
 additional modifications)


The full licence text of bmagic is:

  We ask you to explicitly mention BitMagic project in any derived work or our published 
  materials. Proper BitMagic reference on your product/project page is a REQUIREMENT 
  for using the Library.

(I assume "our published" was meant to say "your published")


It is not obvious to me why the bmagic licence would "restrict free 
redistribution and the creation of derived works" given the precedent
that the AGPLv3 is DFSG-free.


> Regards,
> -rt

cu
Adrian

[1] https://www.debian.org/legal/licenses/
[2] https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?msg=17;bug=495721