diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'policies/inclusion/about.md')
| -rw-r--r-- | policies/inclusion/about.md | 51 |
1 files changed, 51 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/policies/inclusion/about.md b/policies/inclusion/about.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..04894e3 --- /dev/null +++ b/policies/inclusion/about.md @@ -0,0 +1,51 @@ +Title: About this Manual + + +Scope +===== + +This manual describes certain legal and technical policy requirements that apply +to all software included in this distribution. + +This manual does not describe practices for making source or binary packages. +Nor does it describe any aspects of the operating system as a whole, including +the filesystem hierarchy, system users, file modes, or service scripts. + + +Rationale +========= + +Legal Distribution +------------------ + +These requirements ensure that each package may be distributed individually or +as part of a complete operating system, with or without charge, by anyone. This +means that hosts of package archive mirrors are legally allowed to distribute +copies of the packages in the distribution. It means that commercial vendors +are legally allowed to distribute copies of this operating system, in whole or +in part, in their products. It also means that users who receive copies of this +operating system or its packages are legally allowed to redistribute copies of +the software they possess. + +Software Freedom +---------------- + +These requirements ensure that users and vendors have certain rights in the +software they use and distribute. Specifically, for each software package in +the distribution, users and vendors have the right to use the software for any +purpose, the right to study and modify the software, and the right to distribute +copies – modified or unmodified – of the software. + +For more information on software freedom and the rights of users and +distributors of free, libre, and open-source software, see the [Free Software +Definition][]. + +[Free Software Definition]: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html + +Effective Support +----------------- + +These requirements ensure that distribution maintainers are able to effectively +support the software packages for which they are responsible. Specifically, +maintainers are able to study and modify their packages in order to support +users and resolve technical issues in the software. |