Re: proposal for gpl module

[Paul Eggert]

"Oskar Liljeblad" <address@hidden> writes:

> I was under the impression that license texts were
> essentially in the public domain, but that's probably not true.

Yes, it's not true.  In fact, it's more the reverse.  License texts
themselves typically have the most-restrictive license that the GNU
project uses, since only verbatim copying is allowed (no modifications
are allowed).

Thanks for the suggestions and patches.  I installed this slightly
more-elaborate version:

2006-08-30  Paul Eggert  <address@hidden>
        and Simon Josefsson  <address@hidden>
        and Oskar Liljeblad  <address@hidden>

        * MODULES.html.sh (Support for building documentation): Add gpl, lgpl.
        * gnulib-tool (func_import): New license type 'unmodifiable license
        text'.
        * modules/fdl: Use it.  Longer description.
        * module/gpl, module/lgpl: New files.

Index: MODULES.html.sh
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/gnulib/gnulib/MODULES.html.sh,v
retrieving revision 1.145
diff -p -u -r1.145 MODULES.html.sh
--- MODULES.html.sh     29 Aug 2006 20:32:07 -0000      1.145
+++ MODULES.html.sh     30 Aug 2006 18:08:15 -0000
@@ -2117,6 +2117,8 @@ func_all_modules ()
   func_begin_table
   func_module fdl
   func_module gendocs
+  func_module gpl
+  func_module lgpl
   func_module regexprops-generic
   func_end_table
 
Index: gnulib-tool
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/gnulib/gnulib/gnulib-tool,v
retrieving revision 1.150
diff -p -u -r1.150 gnulib-tool
--- gnulib-tool 28 Aug 2006 19:39:49 -0000      1.150
+++ gnulib-tool 30 Aug 2006 18:08:15 -0000
@@ -1399,12 +1399,13 @@ func_import ()
   # Add the dummy module if needed.
   func_modules_add_dummy
 
-  # If --lgpl, check the license of modules are compatible.
+  # If --lgpl, verify that the licenses of modules are compatible.
   if test -n "$lgpl"; then
     for module in $modules; do
       license=`func_get_license $module`
       case $license in
-        LGPL | 'GPLed build tool' | 'public domain' | 'unlimited') ;;
+        LGPL | 'GPLed build tool') ;;
+       'public domain' | 'unlimited' | 'unmodifiable license text') ;;
         *) func_fatal_error "incompatible license on module $module: $license" 
;;
       esac
     done
Index: modules/fdl
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/gnulib/gnulib/modules/fdl,v
retrieving revision 1.1
diff -p -u -r1.1 fdl
--- modules/fdl 11 Jul 2006 12:58:27 -0000      1.1
+++ modules/fdl 30 Aug 2006 18:08:15 -0000
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Description:
-Provide the Free Documentation License.
+Provide the GNU Free Documentation License in Texinfo format.
 
 Files:
 doc/fdl.texi
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Makefile.am:
 Include:
 
 License:
-public domain
+unmodifiable license text
 
 Maintainer:
 all
--- /dev/null   2005-09-24 22:00:15.000000000 -0700
+++ modules/gpl 2006-08-30 11:06:43.000000000 -0700
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+Description:
+Provide the GNU General Public License in Texinfo format.
+
+Files:
+doc/gpl.texi
+
+Depends-on:
+
+configure.ac:
+
+Makefile.am:
+
+Include:
+
+License:
+unmodifiable license text
+
+Maintainer:
+all
--- /dev/null   2005-09-24 22:00:15.000000000 -0700
+++ modules/lgpl        2006-08-30 11:07:49.000000000 -0700
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+Description:
+Provide the GNU Lesser General Public License in Texinfo format.
+
+Files:
+doc/lgpl.texi
+
+Depends-on:
+
+configure.ac:
+
+Makefile.am:
+
+Include:
+
+License:
+unmodifiable license text
+
+Maintainer:
+all