On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 10:12 PM, Jonathan Nieder <jrnie...@gmail.com> wrote: > merge 481966 517583 > quit > > Hi Samuel, > > Samuel Bronson wrote: > > [The bash-doc package description] >> says: >> >>> This package contains the distributable documentation, all the >>> examples and the main changelog. >> >> But it doesn't mention the fact that the documentation the user >> probably actually wanted, the reference manual, is not included. > > Yes, true. It is probably worth saying something like: > > This package does not include a reference manual for bash. It > only includes the distributable documentation: the example > scripts and startup files and the main changelog.
Ah, yes, that's a much clearer description of what the package contains. It might also be a good idea to mention why the manual itself isn't distributable, though -- probably best done by linking to bug #357260 and possibly to the General Resolution about the GFDL <http://www.us.debian.org/vote/2006/vote_001>. > Beyond that, I can see a couple of ways forward: > > - Introduce a bash-doc-nonfree package with Enhances: bash, bash-doc. > http://bugs.debian.org/466120 Yes, that's almost exactly what I was thinking should be done, except I hadn't thought of the "Enhances" bit. > - Write a free bash manual, perhaps by (manually) translating the > structure of the source code into human-readable documentation. > I would be happy to help anyone who wants to work on this, by > writing some sections, comparing to POSIX, and proofreading. Hmm. I suppose that *might* be easier than talking the maintainer into dropping the cover texts, though judging by bug #357260, his last statement on the subject would seem to have been "Sure, I'll consider it.", though he did seem to think it was a silly thing to quibble about. (And, admittedly, the texts in question are short enough that maybe it *is*, in this case.) Anyway, it's nice to see this finally get some attention! -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
