On 2004-10-03 22:45:49 +0100 Stephen Hedges <shedges@skemotah.com> wrote:

I have attached a file called "koha_docs_structure" which contains an outline for all of the Koha documentation. [...]

Thanks for this.

I will be retrieving existing documents, such as Nicholas Rosasco's "Koha Manual," converting them to XML, and fitting them into this structure.

What XML? XML is more a meta-language rather than a particular markup. xhtml is XML these days, even.

If you would like to submit a document, please include the following statement in the document:

Any reason for writing our own? I would prefer the following simpler statement: If you would like to submit a document, please include the following statement. Replace the copyright line placeholders with your details. You may remove the part in square brackets if you wish. (BEGIN STATEMENT) Copyright 2004 <name> <email> <postal> This document is licensed to you under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later <URL:http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html> [and the Linux Documentation Project License version 2.0 or later <URL:http://www.tldp.org/COPYRIGHT.html>]. It is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. (END STATEMENT) Here's my worries about your statement:

"This document is copyrighted (c) 2004 by <your name here>. Unless otherwise stated, Koha documents are copyrighted by their respective authors.

I'm not entirely sure that "to copyright" is a verb. If I remember correctly, copyright is a property of a creative expression which exists automatically in Berne Union states and does not require a distinct action to create it.

Koha-related documents may be reproduced and distributed in whole or in part, in any medium physical or electronic, as long as this copyright notice is retained on all copies.

This part looks fine, as far as it goes.

You may create a derivative work and distribute it provided that you: 1. Send your derivative work to the Koha Project for possible posting on the Internet.

Notification requirement, restricting free modification and distribution. Might even restrict internal use by an institution as "distribute" is not clearly defined (AKA lawyerbomb). Usually, debian developers will say this is not acceptable for free software.

2. License the derivative work with this same license, or the Linux Documentation Project License (http://www.tldp.org/manifesto.html), or the GNU General Public License (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html). Include a copyright notice and at least a pointer to the license used.

The URL for the LDPL is wrong, pointing to the manifesto. It should be http://www.tldp.org/COPYRIGHT.html I think. We should specify which licence versions are acceptable. The first LDPL didn't make the covered work free software, IIRC.

3. Give due credit to previous authors and major contributors.

A bit vague, but probably OK.

Commercial redistribution is allowed and encouraged; however, the author would like to be notified of any such distributions. Please check your local laws on copyright."

Just a notice and request: again OK. The reference to "your local laws" suggests that I'm right to be worried about "distribute" as I don't know all laws around the world.

OK, that's it. All comments or suggestions for improvement are welcome.

Hope you don't mind, but I'd really rather we avoided making something non-free. It doesn't really seem necessary to make a new licence as there are enough out there already. By far the most common case of non-free software seen on debian-legal is people creating their own copyright licences and getting it "a bit wrong" or overlooking something. Surely we can pick one or two known free software copyright licences which express the authors' wishes? -- MJR/slef My Opinion Only and not of any group I know Creative copyleft computing - http://www.ttllp.co.uk/ LinuxExpo.org.uk village 6+7 Oct http://www.affs.org.uk

I find that is fine and acceptable terms. Andres Stephen Hedges wrote:

I have attached a file called "koha_docs_structure" which contains an outline for all of the Koha documentation. This is _not_ the documentation itself, but a description of the structure that will be used to organize the documents. (If you have trouble with the attachment, you should be able to find this file on Sourceforge at http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/koha/koha-doc/ within the next few days.)

The outline contains some words in brackets <Like This> that are names for document containers. Many of these containers simply hold other containers. Only the text that is not enclosed by brackets (for example, "Description in English") refers to an actual document.

The goal is to have a place for every type of Koha-related document. If you have Koha-related documents that do not seem to have a place in the structure, please let me know. If you can think of some possible Koha-related documents that do not seem to have a place in the structure, please let me know.

It is not intended that we have a document that matches every document described. But it is intended that every document that gets submitted can be easily "plugged in" to this document structure.

I will be retrieving existing documents, such as Nicholas Rosasco's "Koha Manual," converting them to XML, and fitting them into this structure. All documents will be stored in XML format, but you can submit documents in any format that is comfortable for you. (XML was chosen as the format for storage because it is basic and can easily be converted to many other formats using a wide variety of tools.)

I will also be looking through old e-mail messages for relevant information, and may contact some e-mail writers and ask that they expand their comments into a document that can be used as part of the Koha documentation.

If you would like to submit a document, please include the following statement in the document:

"This document is copyrighted (c) 2004 by <your name here>. Unless otherwise stated, Koha documents are copyrighted by their respective authors. Koha-related documents may be reproduced and distributed in whole or in part, in any medium physical or electronic, as long as this copyright notice is retained on all copies. You may create a derivative work and distribute it provided that you: 1. Send your derivative work to the Koha Project for possible posting on the Internet. 2. License the derivative work with this same license, or the Linux Documentation Project License (http://www.tldp.org/manifesto.html), or the GNU General Public License (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html). Include a copyright notice and at least a pointer to the license used. 3. Give due credit to previous authors and major contributors. Commercial redistribution is allowed and encouraged; however, the author would like to be notified of any such distributions. Please check your local laws on copyright."

OK, that's it. All comments or suggestions for improvement are welcome.

--- Stephen Hedges Skemotah Solutions