AGPLv3 Compliance and Debian Users
Hi, with the recent discussion about the AGPLv3 I am wondering what the implications for users of Debian packages are. Debian packages often contain modifications in the form of patches, since the Debian project is only a distributor it complies to the license by making available the sources of the package. However, as soon as I (as a Debian user) install such a package and that package consists of a network service with which others interact, I have to "prominently" offer my users a way to retrieve the source of the Debian package as well in order to comply with the terms of the AGPLv3. Now the problem is that Debian packages under the AGPLv3 do not do that by default and it is very easy for Debian users to accidentally violate the license terms, e.g. when installing a package of a AGPLv3 web application on a publicly accessible webserver. An example that recently came to my attention is Debian's owncloud package, there seems to be no configuration option to easily add a link to all pages, so in order to comply with the AGPLv3 I guess I would have to create my own theme that displays a link to the sources of the Debian package (probably hosting them on my own server) and to the sources of the theme itself. I think it might be surprising to most users that they cannot just install a distribution package but have to take such tedious extra steps in order to comply with the license and I do not think most are aware of that. Any thoughts on that? Lars -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-devel-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/1373532344.16902.yahoomail...@web163806.mail.gq1.yahoo.com
Re: AGPLv3 Compliance and Debian Users
- Original Message - > From: Arto Jantunen > To: "debian-devel@lists.debian.org" > Cc: > Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 11:02 AM > Subject: Re: AGPLv3 Compliance and Debian Users > > ... > By default installing into a state that isn't compliant with the license > seems like an obvious bug. You should file it in the BTS. It is not that simple, Debian itself complies with the license and users installing the package comply with the license as long as the network-facing service is not accessible to other users. To stay with my example, I am in compliance with the AGPLv3 when I install and use the Debian owncloud package on my NAS but not when I install it on my publicly accessible webserver where other users interact with it. This is also my personal reading of the license, I would like to hear others opinions before I start filing bugs. Lars -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-devel-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/1373535676.42287.yahoomail...@web163804.mail.gq1.yahoo.com
Re: AGPLv3 Compliance and Debian Users
- Original Message - > From: Paul Wise > To: debian-devel@lists.debian.org > Cc: > Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 11:48 AM > Subject: Re: AGPLv3 Compliance and Debian Users > > On Thu, Jul 11, 2013 at 5:41 PM, Lars Meyser wrote: > >> It is not that simple, Debian itself complies with the license and users >> installing the package comply with the license as long as the > network-facing >> service is not accessible to other users. To stay with my example, I am in >> compliance with the AGPLv3 when I install and use the Debian owncloud > package >> on my NAS but not when I install it on my publicly accessible webserver > where >> other users interact with it. > > In both situations you are still in compliance with the license. > >> This is also my personal reading of the license, I would like to hear > others >> opinions before I start filing bugs. > > Perhaps you missed "if you modify the Program" in item "13. > Remote > Network Interaction;" of the AGPL? No I did not miss that, but I'm not entirely sure of the implications. So if I use a packaged version of a program which has been modified (e.g. by Debian patches) I am not obliged to make the source available? Lars -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-devel-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/1373538597.87225.yahoomail...@web163805.mail.gq1.yahoo.com
