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Debian Can Now Amend Social Contract, DFSG

Posted by michael on from the constitutional-convention dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Debian Project, creators of the Debian GNU/Linux distribution, has voted to allow amendments to their Social Contract and Free Software Guidelines, as long as the developers agree with a 3:1 majority. The full text of the various amendments can be found in the original call for votes. Debian developer and XFree86 packager Branden Robinson has already proposed an amendment to the Social Contract that removes the requirement to maintain an archive for non-free software or "contrib" software (free software that depends on non-free software to work). Debian could still maintain this archive, but would no longer be required to do so. The proposal also updates the Social Contract to clearly require all works in Debian to meet the Debian Free Software Guidelines, not just software, which had come up repeatedly in the discussions over the non-free "GNU Free Documentation Licence". Both of these updates have been under consideration for some time, but were waiting on the ratification of the amendment procedure. The Debian Project voted on this amendment using their modified Condorcet voting procedure, which allows voters to rank the choices in order of preference, eliminating the "lesser of two evils" effect common to simple majority voting."

6 of 280 comments (clear)

  1. YOU FAIL IT, COUGH UP YOUR $699 NOW, BITCH!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Also, I believe you are to be vomited on for failing it as well.

  2. oh, come fucking on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    First concentrate on writing software that doesn't irreversibly
    damage users' hardware. Then go play with fancy licensing stuff.

  3. talk the talk by jest3r · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Deb and Ian may talk the talk ..

    But once their incestuous relationship with Xandros and Lindows comes to fruitation they may never walk the walk ..

  4. Debian is all about moldy old stanking crap! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Dude, debian is all about antique outdated shit that's been out for years! That's just the debian way.

    If debian started having modern software that actually had new features and what not, it just wouldn't be debian anymore.

    Just like slackware without shitty ass package management software just wouldn't be slackware anymore, debian without crusty old software than it is covered cobwebs just wouldn't be debian anymore.

  5. Bruce, please shut the fuck up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait
  6. Re:Exactly what I'm talking about... APPLE RULES by Kakemann · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I want a computing platform where:

    - Where I won't have QuickTime popping up urging me to "go PRO for $29.99" when I've just spent my kidney, my arm and my leg on a new cool PowerMac G5.
    - Where the default DVD player won't allow me to play videos fullscreen without kludges.
    - Where there's only one half-baked limited shareware program that provides multiple workspaces.
    - Where I have no choice of turning off the glittery bells & whistles interface.
    - Where I won't have to buy a $129 OS upgrade every year.