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Groups > linux.debian.project > #14139

Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian?

From thomas@goirand.fr
Newsgroups linux.debian.project
Subject Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian?
Date 2026-02-02 20:20 +0100
Message-ID <Mk7CN-ffLB-3@gated-at.bofh.it> (permalink)
References <Mk1xo-fbA5-3@gated-at.bofh.it> <Mk2jL-fc8q-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
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On Feb 2, 2026 14:32, Jonas Smedegaard <dr@jones.dk> wrote:
>
> Quoting Gerardo Ballabio (2026-02-02 13:04:49)
> > If the packaging and the upstream source have different licenses, I
> > wonder what is the license on the resulting package -- both source and
> > binary?
>
> Some projects in Debian already without problems involve multiple
> licenses, e.g. one license for code to be compiled together, maybe
> another for components linkable with independently compiled code, and
> maybe a third for some documentation.
>
> I am not talking about is copyleft-licensing something which is patched
> into upstream-licensed code and therefore causing Debian to
> redistribute upstream works relicensed compared to their own licensing.
> I am only talking about copyleft-licensing non-upstream-affecting
> packaging parts.
>
> I am also not talking about things not copyright-protectable: We all
> claim copyright for packaging and license that copyright-claimed stuff,
> so any discussion of whether those copyright claims are bogus and what
> problems such bogus claims might cause, is orthogonal to the choice of
> license.
>
> My question is also not whether *you* should copyleft-license *your*
> contributions to Debian. I am only asking if you would prefer that
> copyleft-licensed contributions was unacceptable in Debian.


*I* prefer to use the same license as upstream, I often advise to do the same, but I have no problem with you choosing GPL license for your packaging if you prefer, as long as you understand what you're doing (and I believe you do).


Cheers,


Thomas Goirand (zigo)


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Thread

Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Gerardo Ballabio <gerardo.ballabio@gmail.com> - 2026-02-02 13:50 +0100
  Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Jonas Smedegaard <dr@jones.dk> - 2026-02-02 14:40 +0100
    Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Andrey Rakhmatullin <wrar@debian.org> - 2026-02-02 16:20 +0100
      Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Ansgar 🙀 <ansgar@debian.org> - 2026-02-02 17:10 +0100
        Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Jonas Smedegaard <dr@jones.dk> - 2026-02-02 20:10 +0100
          Is Packaging Copyrightable (was: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian?) Soren Stoutner <soren@debian.org> - 2026-02-02 20:20 +0100
            Re: Is Packaging Copyrightable (was: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian?) Jonas Smedegaard <dr@jones.dk> - 2026-02-03 15:10 +0100
              Re: Is Packaging Copyrightable (was: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian?) Soren Stoutner <soren@debian.org> - 2026-02-03 18:00 +0100
          Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Russ Allbery <rra@debian.org> - 2026-02-02 21:50 +0100
            Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Jonas Smedegaard <dr@jones.dk> - 2026-02-03 15:10 +0100
              Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Russ Allbery <rra@debian.org> - 2026-02-03 23:30 +0100
                Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Soren Stoutner <soren@debian.org> - 2026-02-04 00:00 +0100
                Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Jeremy Stanley <fungi@yuggoth.org> - 2026-02-04 00:20 +0100
                Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Russ Allbery <rra@debian.org> - 2026-02-04 02:40 +0100
                Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? Jeremy Stanley <fungi@yuggoth.org> - 2026-02-04 19:00 +0100
    Re: is copyleft packaging bad for Debian? thomas@goirand.fr - 2026-02-02 20:20 +0100

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