MPL and Source Code

[Josh Triplett]

Anthony DeRobertis wrote:
> On Sun, Apr 02, 2006 at 08:54:53PM +1000, Craig Southeren wrote:
>> A problem would only occur if there was a Debian release that contained
>> source code that is is not in the SVN archive. Does this ever occur?
> 
> Security updates and NMU's come to mind.

As do non-Debian distributors and CDDs, who can currently rely on the
fact that if they mirror/distribute source along with binaries, they
satisfy all relevant licensing requirements.  Furthermore, any CDD
modifying Debian packages could not rely on Debian's SVN repository.

Also, if you ever stopped maintaining the software, and some other
maintainer wanted to work on it, they would then need to make use of a
version control system or similar mechanism as well.  If a license said
"you must develop the software in a version control system", I don't
think we'd quibble over its non-freeness; this requirement constrains
development practices only slightly less.

I think "any mirror operator, CD distributor, system distributor, or
other distributor of Debian could face a lawsuit if Debian's systems go
down or Debian stops distributing source" falls pretty clearly on the
non-free side.

- Josh Triplett


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