[Office-commits] r9648 - trunk/licensing/writings

[sysadmin]

Author: brett
Date: Tue Sep 22 17:23:48 2009
New Revision: 9648

Log:
first draft

Added:
   trunk/licensing/writings/2009-09-gnu-bucks-distro-email.mdwn

Added: trunk/licensing/writings/2009-09-gnu-bucks-distro-email.mdwn
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--- /dev/null   00:00:00 1970   (empty, because file is newly added)
+++ trunk/licensing/writings/2009-09-gnu-bucks-distro-email.mdwn        Tue Sep 
22 17:23:48 2009        (r9648)
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+Ever since we published the guidelines for what we consider to be a
+free system distribution
+(<http://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html>),
+we've been thinking about how we can better deal with the issue of
+nonfree software that is accidentally included in these distributions.
+We're confident that the policy requirements that we currently have,
+expecting distros to dedicate themselves to removing any nonfree
+software that's discovered, are the right ones.  But we've been
+looking for practical ways to be more proactive about addressing those
+sorts of problems -- steps that are within our means and the means of
+distribution maintainers like you.  And we've come up with a new
+program that we think will do a good job of striking that balance.
+
+We're calling it the GNU Bucks program.  If you're familiar with the
+rewards that Donald Knuth gives out for finding errors in his texts,
+this works similarly.  We will ask people to send complete, detailed
+bug reports to the appropriate distros, and copy us.  If the bug
+report leads to nonfree software being removed, they'll receive a
+special "GNU Buck" signed by RMS, along with credit on a web page if
+they like.
+
+When that happens, we'll also spread word to other endorsed distros,
+through the gnu-linux-libre list, to make sure they can address the
+issue too.  That way, we'll get as much benefit from this work as
+possible.
+
+In order to implement this program, can you please let us know how you
+would like to receive these bug reports?  Any reasonable method is
+fine -- e-mail, bug tracker, RT, you get the idea.  We'll collect all
+that information for all the endorsed distros and publish it on the
+GNU Bucks site -- we want to make sure that you can deal with these
+reports as easily as possible.  And of course, if you have any
+questions about the program, feel free to ask me.
+
+Best regards,