@c For double-sided printing, uncomment:
@c @setchapternewpage odd
@c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:
-@set lastupdate October 15, 2006
+@set lastupdate January 15, 2007
@c %**end of header
@dircategory GNU organization
@copying
Information for maintainers of GNU software, last updated @value{lastupdate}.
-Copyright (C) 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
-2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+Copyright @copyright{} 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
+2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software
+Foundation, Inc.
@quotation
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies
announce pretest releases, only real releases. But real releases do
include releases made just to fix bugs.
-@node Web Pages
+@node Web Pages
@chapter Web Pages
@cindex web pages
them up on whatever site is convenient for you, and make the pages on
@code{www.gnu.org} link to that site.
-Web pages for GNU packages should not include GIF images, since the GNU
-project avoids GIFs due to patent problems. @xref{Ethical and
-Philosophical Consideration}.
+Historically, web pages for GNU packages did not include GIF images,
+because of patent problems (@pxref{Ethical and Philosophical
+Consideration}). Although the GIF patents expired in 2006, using GIF
+images is still not recommended, as the PNG and JPEG formats are
+generally superior. See @url{http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/gif.html}.
The web pages for the package should include its manuals, in HTML,
-DVI, Info, PostScript, PDF, plain ASCII, and Texinfo format (source). (All
-of these can be generated automatically from the Texinfo source using
-Makeinfo and other programs.) When there is only one manual, put it
-in a subdirectory called @file{manual}; the file
+DVI, Info, PostScript, PDF, plain ASCII, and Texinfo format (source).
+(All of these can be generated automatically from the Texinfo source
+using Makeinfo and other programs.) When there is only one manual,
+put it in a subdirectory called @file{manual}; the file
@file{manual/index.html} should have a link to the manual in each of
its forms.
* CVS Keywords in Web Pages::
@end menu
-@node Invoking gendocs.sh
-@section Invoking @command{gendocs.sh}
+@node Invoking gendocs.sh
+@section Invoking @command{gendocs.sh}
@pindex gendocs.sh
@cindex generating documentation output
output avoiding the literal keyword string.
-@node Ethical and Philosophical Consideration
+@node Ethical and Philosophical Consideration
@chapter Ethical and Philosophical Consideration
@cindex ethics
@cindex philosophy
software.
Beyond that, sometimes the GNU project takes a strong stand against a
-particular patented technology in order to encourage everyone to reject
-it.
-
-For example, the GIF file format is covered by the LZW software patent
-in the USA. A patent holder has threatened lawsuits against not only
-developers of software to produce GIFs, but even web sites that
-contain them.
-
-For this reason, you should not include GIFs in the web pages for your
-package, nor in the distribution of the package itself. It is ok for
-a GNU package to support displaying GIFs which will come into play if
-a user asks it to operate on one. However, it is essential to provide
-equal or better support for the competing PNG and JPG
-formats---otherwise, the GNU package would be @emph{pressuring} users
-to use GIF format, and that it must not do. More about our stand on
-GIF is available at @uref{http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/gif.html}.
+particular patented technology in order to encourage everyone to
+reject it. For example, until the GIF patents expired in 2006, we
+specified that GNU packages and web pages should not include GIF image
+files, and that equal or better support for other image formats such
+as PNG and JPEG was crucial. (These other formats remain superior, so
+there is still no particular reason to use GIF's.)
Software patents are not the only matter for ethical concern. A GNU
package should not recommend use of any non-free program, nor should it
of the GNU kernel, please call it ``the Hurd'' or ``the GNU Hurd.''
Note that this uses a space, not a slash.
-@node Hosting
+@node Hosting
@chapter Hosting
@cindex CVS repository
@cindex repository