[l2h] Maintenance of latex2html

[Michael Chapman]

On Thursday 16 October 2003 2:12 am, Ross Moore wrote:
>
> OK; I've contacted Nikos and he is not averse to small changes in the
> license statement, provided that he gets to see them first, of course.
> I'd like to keep any such to be minimal, and without changing the
> intention of keeping the software `free' (in the GPL free-speech way,
> and as expressed on  http://www.debian.org/intro/free/ .

Hi,
	Apologies not so much for jumping in, but for seemingly jumping in 
pedanticly.

	The problem is in 'improving' standard wordings. I give a hypothetical 
example:
	The Int'l Convention on Protection of Prisoners says thou shalt not "torture 
or abuse prisoners". Implementing this into national legislation for 
country-X the legislature decides to make it shall not "torture, beat or 
abuse prisoners".  This is done with the best of intentions.
	Then some bright spark says that "beat" was put there for a specific 
purpose, and that it must therefore be considered that 'mild knocking around' 
is excluded.
	It doesn't matter how stupid the suggestion is. It would require a court 
case in country-X to settle it.
	On the other hand, if someone tries to say the wording of the original 
Convention allows 'mild knocking around', then many countries, and the 
'international community' are all going to chime in.

I.e.  If you can go with a classic wording go with it.
If someone tries to misinterpret your wording who is going to fight your 
corner? If someone tries to misinterpret the GPL (or whatever) you should 
have some allies ...

My suggestion would be:

1. Avoid editing the present wording at all costs!

2. Instead, adopt, either:

A.  "latex2html may be used under the terms of the XYZ Licence."

or

B.  "latex2html may be used under the terms of the following Licence:
	[Here follows the Nikos Drakos original wording];
     or,
  	 under the terms of the XYZ Licence;
    at the user's choice."


Usual 'sad case' that I suspect that there is absolutely no disagreement 
within the community about the intention, just discussion about the best way 
of guarding the community against those with black hats outside ....

Regards,

	Michael Chapman