Re: [ode] Comments on the OSR


Richard Stallman (rms@gnu.org)
Fri, 28 Jan 2000 00:53:17 -0700 (MST)


David Lawyer wrote:

    anyone who
    modifies a document and then allows it to be distributed would need to
    do the following: email a notice (or copy) of the modification to the
    email address of the copyright owner as given in the latest version of
    the document.

Years ago I had to consider the same question for software. I
concluded that this sort of requirement is basically wrong, because it
puts the maintainer of one version in a fundamentally privileged
position vis a vis anyone else who wants to maintain a version of the
same work. I concluded that programs with this requirement cannot be
considered free software. The issue is no different for
documentation, so I am led to the same conclusion.

So I hope you won't use such a condition in the manuals that you
write.



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