GNU Free Documentation License
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The GNU Free Documentation License (GNU FDL or cutty GFDL) is a copyleft license for free content, designed bi the Free Saftware Foondation (FSF) for the GNU project. It is the coonterpairt tae the GNU GPL that gies readers the same richts tae copy, caw aboot an modifee a wark an requires aw copies an affcomes tae be tae haund unner the same license. Copies can be selt commercial an aw, but if duin in lairger quantities (greater nor 100) nor the oreeginal document or soorce code maun be seen on tae the wark's receepient.
The license wis designed for guidals, textbeuks, ither reference an instructional materials, an documentation that aften gangs alang wi GPL saftware. Houaniver, it can be uised for ony text-based wark, regairdless o subject maiter. The lairgest project uisin the license is Wikipedia, a general-purpose encyclopaedia, but the license isna awfu popular amang ither projects.
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Secondary sections
[eedit | edit soorce]The license explicitly separates ony kynd of "Document" frae "Secondary Sections", which mey nae be integrated wi the Document, but exist as front-matter materials or appendices. Seicontar sections can contain information regarding the author's or publisher's relationship tae the subject matter, but nae ony subject matter itself. While the Document itself is wholly editable, an is essentially covered bi a license equivalent tae (but baith-ways incompatible wi) the GNU General Public License, some o the seicontar sections hae various restrictions designed primarily tae deal wi proper attribution tae previous authors.
Specifically, the authors of prior versions hae tae be acknowledged an certaint "invariant sections" specified bi the oreeginal author an dealing wi his or her relationship tae the subject matter mey nae be changed. If the material is modified, its title haes tae be changed (unless the prior authors gie permission tae retain the title). The license an aa haes provisions for the handling of front-kiver an back-kiver texts of beuks, as well as for "History", "Acknowledgements", "Dedications" an "Endorsements" sections.
Commercial redistribution
[eedit | edit soorce]The GFDL requires the ability tae "copy and distribute the Document in any medium, either commercially or noncommercially" an therefore is incompatible wi material that excludes commercial re-use. Material that restricts commercial re-use is incompatible wi the license an canna be incorporated intae the work. Houiver, incorporating sic restricted material mey be fair use unner United States copyright law an daes nae need tae be licensed tae faw within the GFDL if sic fair use is covered bi aw potential subsequent uses. Ane good ensaumple of sic liberal an commercial fair use is parody.
Criticism of the GFDL
[eedit | edit soorce]The Debian project an Nathanael Nerode haes raised objection. Debian developers eventually voted tae consider works licensed unner the GFDL tae comply wi thair Debian Free Software Guidelines providit the invariant section clauses are nae uised. Thir critics recommend the use of alternate licenses sic as the share-alike Creative Commons licenses or even the GNU GPL. Thay consider the GFDL a non-free license. The reasons for this are that the GFDL allows "invariant" text which canna be modified or removed, an that its prohibition against digital rights management (DRM) seestems applies tae valid usages, lik for "private copies made and not distributed". Archived 2003-10-09 at the Wayback Machine
Overly broad DRM clause
[eedit | edit soorce]The GNU FDL conteens the statement: