[Mageia-dev] Free software needing non-free data

Sun Aug 5 17:25:12 CEST 2012

Samuel Verschelde a écrit :
+> Hi,
+>
+> I've reread our policy, but it's unclear to me where to put free software that
+> can't work (in a useful way for a user) without non-free data.
+>
+> We currently have a mix of situations (sometimes in core, sometimes in
+> nonfree), which shows that it's not totally clear to other packagers either.
+>
+> I see 2 different situations:
+>
+> --- redistributable data ---
+> Data is put in nonfree media, so the binaries are put in nonfree too because
+> we can't put a requires from core to nonfree
+>
+> Example : warsow and warsow-data
+>
+> --- non redistributable data ---
+> Here two different policies seem to be applied, depending on the packager:
+> 1°) put the binaries in core, since they are free
+> 2°) put the binaries in non-free, since they are useless without non-free data
+> (extrapolation of the "self-contained" rule of core)
+>
+> And there are grayzone cases, such as:
+> - prboom (free) which is meant to work with Doom's wads (nonfree) but can also
+> work with freedoom (free), so it's in core even if we apply 2°
+> - ioquake3, which is an engine that can be used by other free games (although
+> I think they often ship their own modified version), so it's in core even if we
+> apply 2°
+>
+>
+> So, can we reach a consensus about something we could write in the policy so
+> that there's no more confusion, and move the relevant packages from nonfree to
+> core or core to nonfree?
+>    
+
+- If a package has any dependancies (requires or suggests) in nonfree, 
+it should go into nonfree.
+Why I include suggests is because in the rpmdrake, the main graphical 
+interface, suggests are treated the same as requires.  And in urpmi, 
+suggests are installed by default.  If the user were queried for each 
+suggest, I might change my mind about suggests.
+
+- If the package cannot be run without non-free data, I would also put 
+it in nonfree, since it would be useless without non-free data.  
+Following the principal of core not requiring non-free.
+
+However if free data is readily available (or creatable), even if the 
+default data is non-free, I would put the package into core. (without 
+the default non-free data.)
+This I would do even if the default non-free data were redistributable.  
+I don't see a problem with putting redistributable non-free data in 
+nonfree, with a comment to that effect in the free core package, as long 
+as free alternative data exists.  (But no link to such non-free data 
+from core.)
+In such a case, I would prefer to install the alternate free data with 
+the main package, or at least instructions detailing how to create or 
+otherwise obtain it.
+> Best regards
+>
+> Samuel Verschelde
+>
+>    
+My 2 cents :)
+
+-- 
+André
+
+