[Linux-disciples] Latest Debian General Resolution

[Adam Kessel]

Particularly for your Debian users out there, I thought I would flag this
raging debate in the Debian community.  As I've mentioned before, I'm a
DD and thus will vote on this resolution.  My inclination right now is to
approve the resolution.  Any thoughts would be welcome.

----- Forwarded message from Debian Project Secretary <secretary at debian.org> -----

To: debian-devel-announce at lists.debian.org
Subject: Request for discussion: Deferment of Changes from GR 2004-003
From: Debian Project Secretary <secretary at debian.org>
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 11:22:50 -0500

Hi

        Please refer to the following messages, in which a General
 resolution was proposed, and seconded:

http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/2004/debian-vote-200404/msg00186.html
http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/2004/debian-vote-200404/msg00187.html
http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/2004/debian-vote-200404/msg00190.html
http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/2004/debian-vote-200404/msg00191.html
http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/2004/debian-vote-200404/msg00202.html
http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/2004/debian-vote-200404/msg00203.html
http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/2004/debian-vote-200404/msg00204.html

 Time Line:
        Proposal and  Wednesday, April 28^th, 2004
          amendment
        Discussion    Wednesday, April 28^th,    Wednesday, May 12^th,
          Period:      23:59:59 UTC, 2004         23:59:59 UTC, 2004
      Voting Period   Wednesday, May 12^th,      Wednesday, May 26^st,
                       23:59:59 UTC, 2004         23:59:59 UTC, 2004

    Please note that amendments may reset the discussion period and
   change the time table.

 Proposer:   Steve Langasek [vorlon at debian.org]
  Seconds:    1. Joe Wreschnig [piman at debian.org]
              2. Stephen Frost [frost at snowman.net]
              3. Scott Dier [sdier at debian.org]
              4. Chad Walstrom [chewie at debian.org]
              5. Pierre Machard [pmachard at debian.org]
              6. Cesar Mendoza [mendoza at debian.org]

   Text:     The actual text of the GR is:

             The Debian Project,

             affirming its committment to principles of freeness for
             all works it distributes,

             but recognizing that changing the Social Contract today
             would have grave consequences for the upcoming stable
             release, a fact which does not serve our goals or the
             interests of our users,

             hereby resolves:

              1. that the amendments to the Social Contract contained
                 within the General Resolution `Editorial Amendments
                 To The Social Contract' (2004 vote 003) be
                 immediately rescinded;
              2. that these amendments, which have already been
                 ratified by the Debian Project, will be reinstated
                 effective as of September 1, 2004 without further
                 cause for deliberation.
             Rationale

             As a seconder of the earlier GR, I certainly do consider
             these amendments to be editorial in nature, as they are
             consistent with my understanding of the existing Social
             Contract; and I believe these clarifications are
             beneficial in the long term, because the ambiguities in
             the Social Contract led mostly to sterile arguments about
             whether the DFSG *should* apply to works we distribute
             that are not programs.

             It's just the timing that sucks.

             In talking with the Release Manager, it is apparent to me
             that his understanding of the previous wording of the
             Social Contract, while different from mine, is internally
             consistent; and that attempting to persuade him that a
             different interpretation should have held would do
             nothing to move the release forward, as I cannot in good
             conscience argue that he should be less principled in the
             enforcement of the Social Contract than he has been to
             date. I am therefore putting forth this proposal because
             my *own* principles hold that releasing sarge this year
             with the same blemishes that have existed since the
             beginning is better than releasing a sarge next year that
             has no non-DFSG content.

             A fixed four month period should (based on current
             projections) give us ample time to release sarge, while
             not allowing so much time that maintainers are left to
             think that resolving the status of non-program components
             of Debian vis à vis the DFSG is not an imminent concern.

 Since this modifies the Social Contract, this requires a 3:1 majority
 to pass.

	manoj
-- 
First study the enemy.  Seek weakness. Romulan Commander, "Balance of
Terror", stardate 1709.2
Debian Project Secretary <secretary at debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/vote/>
1024R/C7261095 print CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05  CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E
1024D/BF24424C print 4966 F272 D093 B493 410B  924B 21BA DABB BF24 424C



----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
Adam Kessel
http://adam.rosi-kessel.org
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