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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][fsd].
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.
[fsd]: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
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