[EN] understanding Debian

[michaa7]

Found on D/W.
Maybe we should link to it from the manual and wiki?

http://claudiocomputing.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/infographic_debian_history-en-v08.png

[dibl]

I understand it!  (not sure what that says about how I spend my time ... )

Yes, I think this would be a good link in a "For New Users" forum.

[devil]

Debian does not approve of this infographic because of its license and some other things. There is a thread on the publicity mailing list on the issue, even involving the DPL.

greetz
devil

[michaa7]

That's odd.

The author makes a comprehensive "understanding Debian"-infographic without acknowledging that the only thing you/he can't do with whatever part of Debian is protect it from being altered.

[holgerw]

Hello,

nice infografic and odd discussion on mailing list about banalities. And I don't mean some suggests to correct the grafic, thats okay.

without acknowledging that the only thing you/he can't do with whatever part of Debian is protect it from being altered.

Are you sure? I think the swirl is such a protected thing, that will be handled by debian like the color magenta of "Deutsche Telekom".

Kind regards,
  Holger

[michaa7]

Are you sure?

Yes. As I read it, the author is concerned about his work, not some Debian trademark.

I think the swirl is such a protected thing, that will be handled by debian like the color magenta of "Deutsche Telekom".

You are wrong. The only protected element in whole Debian is its name. That's why nobody can put it on a whatever GPL-ed wallpaper.
But the swirl is GPL-ed and as such alterable by everyone.
GPL and Trademark do exclude each other.

[devil]

All this is a snakepit in free software. You need protection, but that does not always go along with your ideals. The license the author chose is too protective for debian.

greetz
devil

[dibl]

All this is a snakepit in free software.

+1

Some of it gets a bit silly, at times.  The guy has created an excellent visual depiction of the Debian development process and history.  There's no way to deny that -- it is an excellent depiction.

Similar to the Nvidia binary blob -- it works very well (mostly).  So if it is not in compliance with "free as in speech" or the GPL, we find a way to make use of it anyway, because it is a good solution to the purpose that we need it for.

[devil]

Sure. Just with the restrictive license debian will not incorporate and promote it.

greetz
devil

[holgerw]

Hello @dibl,

Some of it gets a bit silly, at times. The guy has created an excellent visual depiction of the Debian development process and history. There's no way to deny that -- it is an excellent depiction.

Thats the point for me as user. If I can have a good explaination of free stuff, in this case an overview about debian, I'll use it without asking debian project for permission.

The question here is: Who promotes whom? :-)

Kind regards,
  Holger

[michaa7]

The thing I really don't understand:

How can he use Pixar characters (not the name, but images!) and dare to to use a CC lizenz (not to mention GPL)? How is it ever possible to use those characters without written permission?

[devil]

I guess he knows why he does not want to/cannot gpl it.

greetz
devil

[mylo]

[nonsense]I understand it!  (not sure what that says...[/nonsense]

[dibl]

[nonsense]I understand it!  (not sure what that says...[/nonsense]

OK.

I mostly understand it.