Freedom Issue #665
Freedom Issue #123: wanted: blacklist for nonfree aur packages
[masterpdfeditor] is nonfree.
100%
Description
I found a package in the AUR called "masterpdfeditor". I looked on the webpage and it said that "The Linux-based version is free for non-commercial use." This is a bit generic, and the license does not describe it well.
This makes the program non-free. But, after looking at the license it had many more problems. (The license is not hosted anywhere AFAIK, so I used a pastebin: http://freetexthost.com/1ycwm6sr3n)
For example:
"4. REVERSE ENGINEERING:
You may not modify, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble,
(except to the extent that the applicable laws specifically prohibit such restrictions)
or create derivative works based on the Software, or any portion thereof."
I am sure there are more problems in there.
The package only exists in the AUR and the repo "archlinuxgr" (Not officially supported). It is not on the official repositories. Not to be confused with another package called "pdfedit", that is free software, I think. There is only one package.
History
Updated by kzer-za about 9 years ago
Thinking about this has led me to another question. Should we monitor non-free AUR packages anyway? There are so many packages in the AUR, and it is hard to check when new ones get added. You would have to at least have to get the license, but that might be misleading because the package might have a non-free file, xscreensaver is an example.
The benefit of doing this would be that the AUR is quite popular with Parabola and other Arch based-distribution's users. If you need to get a package that is not in the official repositories and you need the package done because either:
1: You are too lazy to compile
2: You don't know how to compile (not very likely when you are using Parabola and other Arch systems)
3: Or having difficulty compiling yourself
It is either that we try and collect as many nonfree AUR packages as possible, or we warn users to check the package before installing it but again, some people are lazy or unaware of this issue with the AUR, and rely on the your-freedom package to install only free packages (unless they choose to do otherwise).
Updated by Anonymous about 9 years ago
- Related to Freedom Issue #123: wanted: blacklist for nonfree aur packages added
Updated by Anonymous almost 9 years ago
- Subject changed from "masterpdfeditor" is nonfree. to [masterpdfeditor] is nonfree.
Updated by ovruni almost 9 years ago
I added masterpdfeditor and other packages into aur-blacklist.txt: https://projects.parabola.nu/blacklist.git/commit/?id=4b08a54ff746add870bfa803bb1fd971ea40f0aa
Updated by ovruni almost 9 years ago
- % Done changed from 0 to 100
- Status changed from open to fixed
Updated by bill-auger almost 4 years ago
- Related to deleted (Freedom Issue #123: wanted: blacklist for nonfree aur packages)