@c For double-sided printing, uncomment:
@c @setchapternewpage odd
@c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:
-@set lastupdate July 9, 2007
+@set lastupdate November 8, 2008
@c %**end of header
@dircategory GNU organization
Information for maintainers of GNU software, last updated @value{lastupdate}.
Copyright @copyright{} 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
-2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software
+2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software
Foundation, Inc.
@quotation
-Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies
-of this entire document without royalty provided the
-copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved.
+Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
+under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
+any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
+Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover
+Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled
+``GNU Free Documentation License''.
@end quotation
@end copying
* Hosting::
* Free Software Directory::
* Using the Proofreaders List::
+* GNU Free Documentation License::
* Index::
@end menu
+
@node Preface
@chapter About This Document
guidelines; if you would like to be a GNU maintainer, then it is
essential to follow these guidelines.
+In addition to this document, please read and follow the GNU Coding
+Standards (@pxref{Top, , Contents, standards, GNU Coding Standards}).
+
Please send corrections or suggestions for this document to
@email{maintainers@@gnu.org}. If you make a suggestion, please include
a suggested new wording for it, to help us consider the suggestion
other version of this document, or propose it in any way that makes it
clear.
+If you have general questions or encounter a situation where it isn't
+clear what to do, you can ask @email{mentors@@gnu.org}, which is a
+list of a few other GNU contributor who have offered to answer
+questions for new maintainers.
+
This document uses the gender-neutral third-person pronouns ``person'',
``per'', ``pers'' and ``perself'' which were promoted, and perhaps
invented, by Marge Piercy in @cite{Woman on the Edge of Time}. They are
The directory @file{/gd/gnuorg} is found on the GNU file server,
currently @code{fencepost.gnu.org}; if you are the maintainer of a GNU
-package, you should have an account there. Contact
-@email{accounts@@gnu.org} if you don't have one. (You can also ask
-for accounts for people who help you a large amount in working on the
-package.)
+package, you should have an account there. See
+@url{http://www.gnu.org/software/README.accounts.html} if you don't
+have one. (You can also ask for accounts for people who help you a
+large amount in working on the package.)
This release of the GNU Maintenance Instructions was last updated
@value{lastupdate}.
+
@node Stepping Down
@chapter Stepping Down
As your final act as maintainer, it would be helpful to set up the
package under @code{savannah.gnu.org} (@pxref{Old Versions}). This will
make it much easier for the new maintainer to pick up where you left off
-and will ensure that the CVS tree is not misplaced if it takes us a
+and will ensure that the source tree is not misplaced if it takes us a
while to find a new maintainer.
+
@node Recruiting Developers
@chapter Recruiting Developers
some of your developers as co-maintainers, please contact
@email{maintainers@@gnu.org}.
+We're happy to acknowledge all major contributors to GNU packages on
+the @url{http://www.gnu.org/people/people.html} web page. Please send
+an entry for yourself to @email{webmasters@@gnu.org}, and feel free to
+suggest it to other significant developers on your package.
+
+
@node Legal Matters
@chapter Legal Matters
@cindex legal matters
@menu
* Copyright Papers::
* Legally Significant::
-* Recording Contributors::
+* Recording Contributors::
* Copying from Other Packages::
-* Copyright Notices::
-* License Notices::
-* External Libraries::
+* Copyright Notices::
+* License Notices::
+* External Libraries::
@end menu
@node Copyright Papers
@strong{Before} incorporating significant changes, make sure that the
person who wrote the changes has signed copyright papers and that the
Free Software Foundation has received and signed them. We may also need
-a disclaimer from the person's employer.
+an employer's disclaimer from the person's employer.
@cindex data base of GNU copyright assignments
To check whether papers have been received, look in
package.)
In order for the contributor to know person should sign papers, you need
-to ask for the necessary papers. If you don't know per well, and you
+to ask per for the necessary papers. If you don't know per well, and you
don't know that person is used to our ways of handling copyright papers,
then it might be a good idea to raise the subject with a message like
this:
@samp{request-} files, it is in @file{/gd/gnuorg/Copyright} and in
@code{gnulib}.)
-For medium to small changes, request a disclaimer by sending per the
-file @file{request-disclaim.changes}.
+For medium to small changes, request a personal disclaimer by sending
+per the file @file{request-disclaim.changes}.
If the contributor is likely to keep making changes, person might want
to sign an assignment for all per future changes to the program. So it
before sending it. Just send the file verbatim to the contributor. The
file gives per instructions for how to ask the FSF to mail per the
papers to sign. The @file{request-} file also raises the issue of
-getting a copyright disclaimer from the contributor's employer.
+getting an employer's disclaimer from the contributor's employer.
When the contributor emails the form to the FSF, the FSF sends per
papers to sign. If person signs them right away, the whole process
changes to a manual, you can use @file{assign.future.manual}.
For a translation of a manual, use @file{assign.translation.manual}.
+For translations of program strings (as used by GNU Gettext, for
+example; @pxref{Internationalization,,,standards,GNU Coding
+Standards}), use @file{disclaim.translation}. If you make use of the
+Translation Project (@url{http://translationproject.org}) facilities,
+please check with the TP coordinators that they have sent the
+contributor the papers; if they haven't, then you should send the
+papers. In any case, you should wait for the confirmation from the
+FSF that the signed papers have been received and accepted before
+integrating the new contributor's material, as usual.
+
If a contributor is reluctant to sign an assignment for a large change,
and is willing to sign a disclaimer instead, that is acceptable, so you
should offer this alternative if it helps you reach agreement. We
@section Legally Significant Changes
If a person contributes more than around 15 lines of code and/or text
-that is legally significant for copyright purposes, which means we
-need copyright papers for it as described above.
+that is legally significant for copyright purposes, we
+need copyright papers for that contribution, as described above.
A change of just a few lines (less than 15 or so) is not legally
significant for copyright. A regular series of repeated changes, such
them.
When you record a small patch in a change log file, first search for
-previous changes by the same person, and see if his past
+previous changes by the same person, and see if per past
contributions, plus the new one, add up to something legally
-significant. If so, you should get copyright papers for all his
+significant. If so, you should get copyright papers for all per
changes before you install the new change.
If that is not so, you can install the small patch. Write @samp{(tiny
@cindex recording contributors
@strong{Keep correct records of which portions were written by whom.}
-This is very important. These records should say which files
-parts of files, were written by each person, and which files or
-portions were revised by each person. This should include
+This is very important. These records should say which files or
+parts of files were written by each person, and which files or
+parts of files were revised by each person. This should include
installation scripts as well as manuals and documentation
files---everything.
made nontrivial changes to the package. (Here we assume you're using
a publicly accessible revision control server, so that every revision
installed is also immediately and automatically published.) When you
-add the new year, it is not required to keep track which files have
+add the new year, it is not required to keep track of which files have
seen significant changes in the new year and which have not. It is
recommended and simpler to add the new year to all files in the
package, and be done with it for the rest of the year.
-For files which are regularly copied from another project (such as
-@samp{gnulib}), the copyright notice should left as it is in the
-original.
-
-Don't delete old year numbers, though; they can indicate when older
-versions might theoretically go into the public domain. If you copy a
-file into the package from some other program, keep the copyright
-years that come with the file.
+Don't delete old year numbers, though; they are significant since they
+indicate when older versions might theoretically go into the public
+domain, if the movie companies don't continue buying laws to further
+extend copyright. If you copy a file into the package from some other
+program, keep the copyright years that come with the file.
Do not abbreviate the year list using a range; for instance, do not
write @samp{1996--1998}; instead, write @samp{1996, 1997, 1998}.
+For files which are regularly copied from another project (such as
+@samp{gnulib}), leave the copyright notice as it is in the original.
+
The copyright statement may be split across multiple lines, both in
source files and in any generated output. This often happens for
files with a long history, having many different years of
notice. (Without a license notice giving permission to copy and
change the file, the file is non-free.)
-The package itself should contain a full copy of GPL (conventionally
-in a file named @file{COPYING}) and the GNU Free Documentation License
-(included within your documentation). If the package contains any
-files distributed under the Lesser GPL, it should contain a full copy
-of that as well (conventionally in a file named
+The package itself should contain a full copy of GPL in plain text
+(conventionally in a file named @file{COPYING}) and the GNU Free
+Documentation License (included within your documentation, so there is
+no need for a separate plain text version). If the package contains
+any files distributed under the Lesser GPL, it should contain a full
+copy of its plain text version also (conventionally in a file named
@file{COPYING.LESSER}).
+If you have questions about license issues for your GNU package,
+please write @email{licensing@@gnu.org}.
+
@menu
-* Source: Canonical License Sources:
-* Code: License Notices for Code:
-* Documentation: License Notices for Documentation:
-* Other: License Notices for Other Files:
+* Source: Canonical License Sources.
+* Code: License Notices for Code.
+* Documentation: License Notices for Documentation.
+* Other: License Notices for Other Files.
@end menu
@item
The @code{gnulib} project on @code{savannah.gnu.org}, which you
-can access via anonymous CVS. See
+can access via anonymous Git or CVS. See
@uref{http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gnulib}.
@end itemize
@quotation
This file is part of GNU @var{program}.
-GNU @var{program} is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-the Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option)
-any later version.
+GNU @var{program} is free software: you can redistribute it and/or
+modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+License, or (at your option) any later version.
GNU @var{program} is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+along with this program. If not, see @url{http://www.gnu.org/licenses/}.
@end quotation
But in a small program which is just a few files, you can use
this instead:
@quotation
-This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.
GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+along with this program. If not, see @url{http://www.gnu.org/licenses/}.
@end quotation
@smallexample
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
-under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or
+under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
Invariant Sections being ``GNU General Public License'', with the
-Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual,'' and with the Back-Cover Texts
+Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts
as in (a) below. A copy of the license is included in the section
entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
-(a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You are free to copy and modify
-this GNU Manual. Buying copies from GNU Press supports the FSF in
-developing GNU and promoting software freedom.''
+(a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have the freedom to
+copy and modify this GNU manual. Buying copies from the FSF
+supports it in developing GNU and promoting software freedom.''
@end smallexample
If the FSF does not publish this manual on paper, then omit the last
incompatible licenses, you may also use the above all-permissive
license for these macros.
-If you would like help with license issues or with using the GFDL,
-please contact @email{licensing@@gnu.org}.
-
@node External Libraries
@section External Libraries
programs and released separately for general use. For anything that was
written as a contribution to your package, please get papers signed.
+
@node Clean Ups
@chapter Cleaning Up Changes
@cindex contributions, accepting
The GNU Coding Standards are a good thing to send people when you ask
them to clean up changes (@pxref{Top, , Contents, standards, GNU Coding
Standards}). The Emacs Lisp manual contains an appendix that gives
-coding standards for Emacs Lisp programs; it is good to urge authors to
-read it (@pxref{Tips, , Tips and Standards, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
+coding standards for Emacs Lisp programs; it is good to urge Lisp authors to
+read it (@pxref{Tips, , Tips and Conventions, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
Reference Manual}).
+
@node Platforms
@chapter Platforms to Support
nowadays we want to give each program its own bug-reporting list and
move away from using @email{bug-gnu-utils}.
+If you wish, you can also have mailing lists such as
+@samp{info-@var{program}} for announcements (@pxref{Announcements}),
+@samp{help-@var{program}} for general help and discussion (see below),
+or any others you find useful.
+
+By far the easiest way to create mailing lists is through
+@code{savannah.gnu.org}. Once you register your program, you can do
+this yourself through the `Mailing Lists' menu, without needing
+intervention by anyone else. Furthermore, lists created through
+Savannah will have a reasonable default configuration for antispam
+purposes (see below).
+
If you are the maintainer of a GNU package, you should have an account
-on the GNU servers; contact @email{accounts@@gnu.org} if you don't have
-one. (You can also ask for accounts for people who help you a large
-amount in working on the package.) With this account, you can edit
-@file{/com/mailer/aliases} to create a new unmanaged list or add
-yourself to an existing unmanaged list. A comment near the beginning of
-that file explains how to create a Mailman-managed mailing list.
+on the GNU servers; contact
+@url{http://www.gnu.org/software/README.accounts.html} if you don't
+have one. (You can also ask for accounts for people who help you a
+large amount in working on the package.) With this account, you can
+edit @file{/com/mailer/aliases} to create a new unmanaged list or add
+yourself to an existing unmanaged list. A comment near the beginning
+of that file explains how to create a Mailman-managed mailing list.
But if you don't want to learn how to do those things, you can
alternatively ask @email{alias-file@@gnu.org} to add you to the
make bug reports useful. If you want to copy and adapt that, it could
be a very useful thing to do.
+
@node Old Versions
@chapter Recording Old Versions
@cindex version control
It is very important to keep backup files of all source files of GNU.
-You can do this using RCS, CVS or PRCS if you like. The easiest way to
-use RCS or CVS is via the Version Control library in Emacs;
-@ref{VC Concepts,, Concepts of Version Control, emacs, The GNU Emacs
-Manual}.
+You can do this using a source control system (such as RCS, CVS, Git,
+@dots{}) if you like. The easiest way to use RCS or CVS is via the
+Version Control library in Emacs (@pxref{VC Concepts,, Concepts of
+Version Control, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
The history of previous revisions and log entries is very important for
future maintainers of the package, so even if you do not make it
change log that you would not want to hand over to another maintainer
some day.
-The GNU Project provides a CVS server that GNU software packages can
-use: @code{subversions.gnu.org}. (The name refers to the multiple
-versions and their subversions that are stored in a CVS repository.)
+The GNU Project provides a server that GNU software packages can use
+for source control and other package needs: @code{savannah.gnu.org}.
You don't have to use this repository, but if you plan to allow public
read-only access to your development sources, it is convenient for
-people to be able to find various GNU packages in a central place. The
-CVS Server is managed by @email{cvs-hackers@@gnu.org}.
+people to be able to find various GNU packages in a central place.
+Savannah is managed by @email{savannah-hackers@@gnu.org}.
+
+All GNU maintainers are encouraged to take advantage of Savannah, as
+sharing such a central point can serve to foster a sense of community
+among GNU developers and help in keeping up with project management.
-The GNU project also provides additional developer resources on
-@code{subversions.gnu.org} through its @code{savannah.gnu.org}
-interface. All GNU maintainers are encouraged to take advantage of
-these facilities, as @code{savannah} can serve to foster a sense of
-community among all GNU developers and help in keeping up with project
-management.
@node Distributions
@chapter Distributions
information. Then, you can perform uploads yourself, with no
intervention needed by the system administrators.
+The general idea is that releases should be crytographically signed
+before they are made publicly available.
+
@menu
* Automated Upload Registration::
* Automated Upload Procedure::
@node Automated Upload Registration
@subsection Automated Upload Registration
-@cindex registration
+@cindex registration for uploads
@cindex uploads, registration for
-To register your information to perform automated uploads, send a
-message, preferably GPG-signed, to @email{ftp-upload@@gnu.org} with
-the following:
+Here is how to register your information so you can perform uploads
+for your GNU package:
+
+@enumerate
+
+@item
+Create an account for yourself at @url{http://savannah.gnu.org}, if
+you don't already have one. By the way, this is also needed to
+maintain the web pages at @url{www.gnu.org} for your project
+(@pxref{Web Pages}).
+
+@item
+In the @samp{My Account Conf} page on @code{savannah}, upload the GPG
+key you will use to sign your packages. You can create a key with the
+command @code{gpg --gen-key}. (For full information about GPG, see
+@url{http://www.gnu.org/software/gpg}).
+
+@item
+Send a message, preferably GPG-signed, to @email{ftp-upload@@gnu.org}
+with the following:
@enumerate
@item
preferred email address.
@item
-An ASCII armored copy of your GnuPG key, as an attachment.
-(@samp{gpg --export -a YOUR_KEY_ID >mykey.asc} should give you this.)
+An ASCII armored copy of your GnuPG key, as an attachment. (@samp{gpg
+--export -a @var{your_key_id} >mykey.asc} should give you this.)
@item
A list of names and preferred email addresses of other individuals you
@item
ASCII armored copies of GnuPG keys for any individuals listed in (3).
@end enumerate
+@end enumerate
The administrators will acknowledge your message when they have added
the proper GPG keys as authorized to upload files for the
@code{alpha.gnu.org}, place the file(s) in the @file{/incoming/alpha}
directory.
-Uploads are processed every five minutes. Uploads that are in progress while
-the upload processing script is running are handled properly, so do not worry
-about the timing of your upload.
+Uploads are processed every five minutes. Uploads that are in
+progress while the upload processing script is running are handled
+properly, so do not worry about the timing of your upload. Uploaded
+files that belong to an incomplete triplet are deleted automatically
+after 24 hours.
Your designated upload email addresses (@pxref{Automated Upload Registration})
are sent a message if there are any problems processing an upload for your
package. You also receive a message when your upload has been successfully
processed.
+One relatively easy way to create and transfer the necessary files is
+to use the @code{gnupload} script, which is available from the
+@file{build-aux/} directory of the @code{gnulib} project at
+@url{http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gnulib}. Run @code{gnupload
+--help} for a description and examples.
+
+@code{gnupload} uses the @code{ncftpput} program to do the actual
+transfers; if you don't happen to have the @code{ncftp} package
+installed, you can use the @code{ncftpput-ftp} script as a
+replacement, which uses plain command line @code{ftp}. It's also
+available from the @file{build-aux/} directory of @code{gnulib}.
+
If you have difficulties processing an upload, email
@email{ftp-upload@@gnu.org}.
version: 1.1
directory: bar/v1
archive: foo-1.1.tar.gz
-comment: archive an old file - it will not be available through FTP anymore
+comment: archive an old file; it will not be available through FTP anymore
+@end example
+
+@noindent
+Archive an old directory (with all contents), taking it offline:
+
+@example
+version: 1.1
+directory: bar/v1
+archive: foo
+comment: archive an old directory; it will not be available through FTP anymore
@end example
@noindent
@node Announcements
@section Announcing Releases
+@cindex announcements
+
+@cindex @code{info-gnu} mailing list
+When you have a new release, please make an announcement. For
+official new releases, including those made just to fix bugs, we
+strongly recommend using the (moderated) general GNU announcements
+list, @email{info-gnu@@gnu.org}. Doing so makes it easier for users
+and developers to find the latest GNU releases. On the other hand,
+please do not announce test releases on @code{info-gnu} unless it's an
+unusual situation.
+
+@cindex @url{http://planet.gnu.org}
+@cindex Savannah, news area
+Please also post release announcements in the news section of your
+Savannah project site. It is fine to also write news entries for test
+releases and any other newsworthy events. The news feeds from all GNU
+projects at savannah are aggregated at @url{http://planet.gnu.org}.
+(You can also post items directly, or arrange for feeds from other
+locations; see contact information on the GNU Planet web page.)
+
+@cindex announcement mailing list, project-specific
+You can maintain your own mailing list (typically
+@email{info-@var{program}@@gnu.org}) for announcements as well if you
+like. For your own list, of course you can decide as you see fit what
+events are worth announcing. (@xref{Mail}, for more suggestions on
+handling mail for your package.)
-When you have a new release, please make an announcement. You can
-maintain your own mailing list for announcements if you like, or you can
-use the moderated general GNU announcements list,
-@email{info-gnu@@gnu.org}.
-
-If you use your own list, you can decide as you see fit what events are
-worth announcing. If you use @email{info-gnu@@gnu.org}, please do not
-announce pretest releases, only real releases. But real releases do
-include releases made just to fix bugs.
@node Web Pages
@chapter Web Pages
@cindex web pages
-Please write pages about your package for installation on
-@code{www.gnu.org}. The pages should follow our usual standards for web
-pages (see @url{http://www.gnu.org/server}); we chose them in order to
-support a wide variety of browsers, to focus on information rather than
-flashy eye candy, and to keep the site simple and uniform.
+Please write web pages about your package for installation on
+@code{www.gnu.org}. They should follow our usual standards for web
+pages (see @url{http://www.gnu.org/server/fsf-html-style-sheet.html}).
+The overall goals are to support a wide variety of browsers, to focus
+on information rather than flashy eye candy, and to keep the site
+simple and uniform.
The simplest way to maintain the web pages for your project is to
register the project on @code{savannah.gnu.org}. Then you can edit
images is still not recommended, as the PNG and JPEG formats are
generally superior. See @url{http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/gif.html}.
+If you use a site other than @code{www.gnu.org}, please make sure that
+the site runs on free software alone. (It is ok if the site uses
+unreleased custom software, since that is free in a trivial sense:
+there's only one user and it has the four freedoms.) If the web site
+for a GNU package runs on non-free software, the public will see this,
+and it will have the effect of granting legitimacy to the non-free
+program.
+
+If you use multiple sites, they should all follow that criterion.
+Please don't link to a site that is about your package, which the
+public might perceive as connected with it and reflecting the position
+of its developers, unless it follows that criterion.
+
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
* CVS Keywords in Web Pages::
@end menu
+
@node Invoking gendocs.sh
@section Invoking @command{gendocs.sh}
@pindex gendocs.sh
@uref{http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/texinfo/texinfo/util/gendocs_template}
@end format
+There is also a ``minimalistic'' template version, available from:
+
+@format
+@uref{http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/texinfo/texinfo/util/gendocs_template_min}
+@end format
+
Invoke the script like this, in the directory containing the Texinfo
source:
@example
gendocs.sh -o info-stnd info-stnd "GNU info-stnd manual"
@end example
+By default, the script uses @command{makeinfo} for generating
+@acronym{HTML} output. If you prefer to use @command{texi2html}, use
+the @option{--texi2html} command line option, e.g.:
+
+@example
+gendocs --texi2html -o texinfo texinfo "GNU Texinfo manual"
+@end example
+
+The template files will automatically produce entries for additional
+HTML output generated by @command{texi2html} (i.e., split by sections
+and chapters).
+
You can set the environment variables @env{MAKEINFO}, @env{TEXI2DVI},
-and @env{DVIPS} to control the programs that get executed, and
-@env{GENDOCS_TEMPLATE_DIR} to control where the
+@env{TEXI2HTML} and @env{DVIPS} to control the programs that get
+executed, and @env{GENDOCS_TEMPLATE_DIR} to control where the
@file{gendocs_template} file is found.
Please email bug reports, enhancement requests, or other
@cindex ethics
@cindex philosophy
-The GNU project takes a strong stand for software freedom. Many times,
-this means you'll need to avoid certain technologies when such
-technologies conflict with our ethics of software freedom.
+The GNU project takes a strong stand for software freedom. Many
+times, this means you'll need to avoid certain technologies when their
+use would conflict with our long-term goals.
Software patents threaten the advancement of free software and freedom
-to program. For our safety (which includes yours), we try to avoid
-using algorithms and techniques that we know are patented in the US or
-elsewhere, unless the patent looks so absurd that we doubt it will be
-enforced, or we have a suitable patent license allowing release of free
-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, 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
-require a non-free program (such as a non-free compiler or IDE) to
-build. Thus, a GNU package cannot be written in a programming language
-that does not have a free software implementation. Now that GNU/Linux
-systems are widely available, all GNU packages should function
-completely with the GNU/Linux system and not require any non-free
-software to build or function.
+to program. There are so many software patents in the US that any
+large program probably implements hundreds of patented techniques,
+unknown to the program's developers. It would be futile and
+self-defeating to try to find and avoid all these patents. But there
+are some patents which we know are likely to be used to threaten free
+software, so we make an effort to avoid the patented techniques. If
+you are concerned about the danger of a patent and would like advice,
+write to @email{maintainers@@gnu.org}, and we will try to help you get
+advice from a lawyer.
+
+Sometimes the GNU project takes a strong stand against a particular
+patented technology in order to encourage society to reject it.
+
+For example, the MP3 audio format is covered by a software patent in
+the USA and some other countries. A patent holder has threatened
+lawsuits against the developers of free programs (these are not GNU
+programs) to produce and play MP3, and some GNU/Linux distributors are
+afraid to include them. Development of the programs continues, but we
+campaign for the rejection of MP3 format in favor of Ogg Vorbis format.
+
+A GNU package should not recommend use of any non-free program, nor
+should it require a non-free program (such as a non-free compiler or
+IDE) to build. Thus, a GNU package cannot be written in a programming
+language that does not have a free software implementation. Now that
+GNU/Linux systems are widely available, all GNU packages should
+provide full functionality on a 100% free GNU/Linux system, and should
+not require any non-free software to build or function.
+The GNU Coding Standards say a lot more about this issue.
A GNU package should not refer the user to any non-free documentation
for free software. The need for free documentation to come with free
pertain specifically to their package, stand with the rest of the GNU
project when such issues come up.
+
@node Terminology
@chapter Terminology Issues
@cindex terminology
Software Movement is idealistic, and raises issues of freedom, ethics,
principle and what makes for a good society. The Open Source Movement,
founded in 1998, studiously avoids such questions. For more explanation,
-see @url{http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html}.
+see @url{http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html}.
The GNU Project is aligned with the Free Software Movement. This
doesn't mean that all GNU contributors and maintainers have to agree;
Movement receives, the GNU Project needs to overcome a widespread
mistaken impression that GNU is @emph{and always was} an activity of
the Open Source Movement. For this reason, please use the term ``free
-software,'' not ``open source,'' in GNU software releases, GNU
+software'', not ``open source'', in GNU software releases, GNU
documentation, and announcements and articles that you publish in your
role as the maintainer of a GNU package. A reference to the URL given
above, to explain the difference, is a useful thing to include as
terminology and its reasons, you can refer to the URL
@url{http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html}.
-Do contrast the GNU system properly speaking to GNU/Linux, you can
+To contrast the GNU system properly with respect to GNU/Linux, you can
call it ``GNU/Hurd'' or ``the GNU/Hurd system.'' However, when that
contrast is not specifically the focus, please call it just ``GNU'' or
``the GNU system.''
of the GNU kernel, please call it ``the Hurd'' or ``the GNU Hurd.''
Note that this uses a space, not a slash.
+
@node Hosting
@chapter Hosting
@cindex CVS repository
@cindex repository
+@cindex source repository
+@cindex version control system
@cindex FTP site
@cindex hosting
-We would like to recommend using @code{subversions.gnu.org} as the CVS
-repository for your package, and using @code{ftp.gnu.org} as the
-standard FTP site. It is ok to use other machines if you wish. If you
-use a company's machine to hold the repository for your program, or as
-its ftp site, please put this statement in a prominent place on the
-site, so as to prevent people from getting the wrong idea about the
+We recommend using @code{savannah.gnu.org} for the source code
+repository for your package, and, even more so, using
+@code{ftp.gnu.org} as the standard distribution site. Doing so makes
+it easier for developers and users to find the latest GNU releases.
+
+However, it is ok to use other machines if you wish. If you use a
+company's machine to hold the repository for your program, or as its
+ftp site, please put this statement in a prominent place on the site,
+so as to prevent people from getting the wrong idea about the
relationship between the package and the company:
@smallexample
on www.gnu.org for more information on how to contribute.
@end smallexample
+
@node Free Software Directory
@chapter Free Software Directory
@cindex Free Software Directory
+@cindex Directory, Free Software
+
+The Free Software Directory aims to be a complete list of free
+software packages, within certain criteria. Every GNU package should
+be listed there, so please see
+@url{http://www.gnu.org/help/directory.html#adding-entries} for
+information on how to write an entry for your package. Contact
+@email{bug-directory@@gnu.org} with any questions or suggestions for
+the Free Software Directory.
-The Free Software Directory aims to be a complete list of free software
-packages, within certain criteria. Every GNU package should be listed
-there, so please contact @email{bug-directory@@gnu.org} to ask for
-information on how to write an entry for your package.
@node Using the Proofreaders List
@chapter Using the Proofreaders List
``I have enough volunteers, no more please.''
@end itemize
+
+@node GNU Free Documentation License
+@appendix GNU Free Documentation License
+
+@cindex FDL, GNU Free Documentation License
+@include fdl.texi
+
+
@node Index
@unnumbered Index
@printindex cp
time-stamp-start: "@set lastupdate "
time-stamp-end: "$"
time-stamp-format: "%:b %:d, %:y"
-compile-command: "make just-maintain"
+compile-command: "make -C work.m"
End:
projects / gnulib.git / blobdiff