GNU bug report logs - #32916
font-awesome v5 build scripts are not free

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Message #14 received at 32916 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: ludo <at> gnu.org (Ludovic Courtès)
To: Mark H Weaver <mhw <at> netris.org>
Cc: 32916 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Leo Famulari <leo <at> famulari.name>
Subject: Re: bug#32916: font-awesome v5 build scripts are not free
Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2018 23:26:19 +0200

Hello,

Mark H Weaver <mhw <at> netris.org> skribis:

> I agree that version 5 of font-awesome does not meet the requirements of
> the FSDG, which states:
>
>   A free system distribution should be self-hosting.  This means that
>   you must be able to develop and build the system with tools that the
>   system provides you.  As a result, a free system distribution cannot
>   include free software that can only be built by using nonfree
>   software.
>
> Moreover, it is doubtful that it could even be considered free software,
> since it is not clear how users can effectively modify the font without
> access to its build system, which is both proprietary and secret.
>
> FWIW, the GNU GPL v3 definition of "corresponding source" includes the
> build system:
>
>   The “Corresponding Source” for a work in object code form means all
>   the source code needed to generate, install, and (for an executable
>   work) run the object code and to modify the work, including scripts to
>   control those activities.

I don’t have a clear opinion on ‘font-awesome’ yet, but I have some
comments: (1) only some of our font packages are built from source
(though I think we should do more of that), (2) the font might be
considered “non-functional data” rather than software under the FSDG,
and (3) the font is a “free font” under a license (SIL OFL) that doesn’t
have a clear notion of corresponding source like GPLv3 has.

Ludo’.

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