Subject: Bug#3975: netpbm is mostly free

From: Marek Michalkiewicz <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 1996 03:06:59 +0200 (MET DST)

Package: netpbm
Version: 1994.03.01p1-5

Most of the programs in the netpbm package are free, usually with
a copyright like this:

** Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its
** documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided
** that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that
** copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting
** documentation.  This software is provided "as is" without express or
** implied warranty.

("without fee" means that you don't have pay for it, not that you
can't sell it).

So far I found only two non-free programs: hpcdtoppm and ppmtogif.
Still looking for more...

I think it is unfortunate that free and non-free programs get mixed
in one package.  Ideally there should be 3 binary packages: one for
the free programs, one for the "really non-free" (noncommercial use
only) hpcdtoppm program, and one for the "non-free in the US only"
(Unisys patent) ppmtogif program (so that non-US CD-ROM publishers
can distribute it).

Also, a few of the free packages recommend netpbm.  Save the free
software, let's not mix it with non-free in one package...

Marek

---

From: Ian Jackson <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 1 Aug 96 02:34 BST

Marek Michalkiewicz writes ("Bug#3975: netpbm is mostly free"):
...
> (Unisys patent) ppmtogif program (so that non-US CD-ROM publishers

Couldn't we patch out the source code for the non-free bits in the
diff ?

Admittedly we'd still be distributing it, but obviously not with the
intent that people use it - and that's what counts with patents.

Ian.