→ http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
The BSD license is the least restrictive: everything is permitted, including use of modified BSD code in a proprietary application. Microsoft even uses it, basing the TCP/IP layer of Windows NT on that of the BSD kernel.
→ http://www.opensource.org/licenses/bsd-license.php
Finally, the Artistic License reaches a compromise between these two others: integration of code in a proprietary application is permitted, but any modification must be published.
→ http://www.opensource.org/licenses/artistic-license-2.0.php
The complete text of these licenses is available in /usr/share/common-licenses/ on any Debian system.
Source code. The program must include source code, and must allow distribution in source code as well as compiled form.
Derived works. The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software.
Integrity of the author's source code. The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified form only if the license allows the distribution of “patch files” with the source code for the purpose of modifying the program at build time. The license must explicitly permit distribution of software built from modified source code. The license may require derived works to carry a different name or version number from the original software (This is a compromise. The Debian group encourages all authors not to restrict any files, source or binary, from being modified).
No discrimination against persons or groups. The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons.
No discrimination against fields of endeavor. The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research.
Distribution of license. The rights attached to the program must apply to all to whom the program is redistributed without the need for execution of an additional license by those parties.
License must not be specific to Debian. The rights attached to the program must not depend on the program being part of a Debian system. If the program is extracted from Debian and used or distributed without Debian but otherwise within the terms of the program's license, all parties to whom the program is redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in conjunction with the Debian system.
License must not contaminate other software. The license must not place restrictions on other software that is distributed along with the licensed software. For example, the license must not insist that all other programs distributed on the same medium must be free software.
BACK TO BASICS Copyleft
Copyleft is a principle that consists in using copyrights to guarantee the freedom of a work and its derivatives, rather than restrict the rights of uses, as is the case with proprietary software. It is, also, a play of words on the term “copyright”. Richard Stallman discovered the idea when a friend of his, fond of puns, wrote on an envelope addressed to him: “copyleft: all rights reversed”. Copyleft imposes preservation of all initial liberties upon distribution of an original or modified version of a program. It is, thus, not possible to distribute a program as proprietary software if it is derived from code from a copyleft released program.
The copyleft license most known is, of course, the GNU GPL, and derivatives thereof, the GNU LGPL or GNU Lesser General Public License, and the GNU FDL or GNU Free Documentation License. Sadly, the copyleft licenses are generally incompatible with each other. Consequently, it is best to use only one of them.
COMMUNITY Bruce Perens, a controversial leader
Bruce Perens, the second leader of the Debian project, just after Ian Murdock, was very controversial in his dynamic and authoritarian methods. He nevertheless remains an important contributor to Debian, to whom Debian is especially indebted for the editing of the famous “Debian Free Software Guidelines” (DFSG), an original idea of Ean Schuessler. Subsequently, Bruce would derive from it the famous “Open Source Definition”, removing all references to Debian from it.
→ http://www.opensource.org/
His departure from the project was quite emotional, but Bruce has remained strongly attached to Debian, since he continues to promote this distribution in political and economic spheres. He still sporadically appears on the e-mail lists to give his advice and present his latests initiatives in favor of Debian.
Last anecdotal point, it was Bruce who was responsible for inspiring the different “codenames” for Debian versions (1.1 — Rex, 1.2 — Buzz, 1.3 — Bo, 2.0 — Hamm, 2.1 — Slink, 2.2 — Potato, 3.0 — Woody, 3.1 — Sarge, 4.0 — Etch, 5.0 — Lenny, 6.0 — Squeeze, Testing — Wheezy, Unstable — Sid). They are taken from the names of characters in the Toy Story movie. This animated film entirely composed of computer graphics was produced by Pixar Studios, with whom Bruce was employed at the time that he lead the Debian project. The name “Sid” holds particular status, since it will eternally be associated with the Unstable branch. In the film, this character was the neighbor child, who was always breaking toys — so beware of getting too close to Unstable. Otherwise, Sid is also an acronym for “Still In Development”.
1.3. The Inner Workings of the Debian Project
The bounty produced by the Debian project results simultaneously from the work on the infrastructure performed by experienced Debian developers, individual or collective work of developers on Debian packages, and user feedback.
1.3.1. The Debian Developers
Debian developers have various responsibilities, and as official project members, they have great influence on the direction the project takes. A Debian developer is generally responsible for at least one package, but according to their available time and desire, they are free to become involved in numerous teams, acquiring, thus, more responsibilities within the project.
→ http://www.debian.org/devel/people
→ http://www.debian.org/intro/organization
→ http://wiki.debian.org/Teams
TOOL Developer's database
Debian has a database including all developers registered with the project, and their relevant information (address, telephone, geographical coordinates such as longitude and latitude, etc.). Some information (first and last name, country, username within the project, IRC username, GnuPG key, etc.) are public and available on the Web.
→ http://db.debian.org/
The geographical coordinates allow the creation of a map locating all of the developers around the globe. Debian is truly an international project: Its developers can be found an all continents, although the majority are in the West.
Figure 1.1. World-wide distribution of Debian developers
Package maintenance is a relatively regimented activity, very documented or even regulated. It must, in effect, respect all of the standards established by the Debian Policy. Fortunately, there many tools that facilitate the maintainer's work. The developer can, thus, focus on the specifics of their package and on more complex tasks, such as squashing bugs.
→ http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/