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Debian Policy Manual - Chapter 2
The Debian Archive
The Debian GNU/Linux system is maintained and distributed as a collection of
packages. Since there are so many of them (over 2600) they are split
into sections and priorities to simplify handling of them.
The effort of the Debian project is to build a free operating system, but not
every package we want to make accessible is free in our sense (see
Debian Free Software Guidelines, below), or may be imported/exported without
restrictions. Thus, the archive is split into the sections main,
non-us, non-free, and contrib.
The main section forms the Debian GNU/Linux distribution.
Packages in the other sections are not considered as part of the Debian
distribution, though we support their use, and we provide infrastructure for
them (such as our bug-tracking system and mailing lists). This Debian Policy
Manual applies to these packages as well.
The aims of this policy are:
-
We want to make as much software available as we can.
-
We want to encourage everyone to write free software.
-
We want to make it easy for people to produce CD-ROMs of our system without
violating any licenses, import/export restrictions, or any other laws.
The Debian Free Software Guidelines (DFSG) is our definition of `free'
software.
- Free Redistribution
-
The license of a Debian component may not restrict any party from selling or
giving away the software as a component of an aggregate software distribution
containing programs from several different sources. The license may not
require a royalty or other fee for such sale.
- Source Code
-
The program must include source code, and must allow distribution in source
code as well as compiled form.
- Derived Works
-
The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to
be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software.
- Integrity of The Author's Source Code
-
The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified form
only if the license allows the distribution of ``patch files'' with
the source code for the purpose of modifying the program at build time. The
license must explicitly permit distribution of software built from modified
source code. The license may require derived works to carry a different name
or version number from the original software. (This is a compromise. The
Debian group encourages all authors to not restrict any files, source or
binary, from being modified.)
- No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
-
The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons.
- No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
-
The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a
specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from
being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research.
- Distribution of License
-
The rights attached to the program must apply to all to whom the program is
redistributed without the need for execution of an additional license by those
parties.
- License Must Not Be Specific to Debian
-
The rights attac