Koma-Script doc/source files installed with doc/source disabled

[Norbert Preining]

Hi Max,

On Sun, 24 Jul 2022, Max Chernoff wrote:
> It appears like this may have slightly spiralled out of control. I had

I agree completely.

> I really have no problem with this; I just found it unusual that I had
> the source and docs installed for exactly one package.

Yes, it is unusual but it is as it is.

> You should probably make this requirement more prominent. The CTAN page

That is indeed a good idea, thanks for your detailed comments and traces
of references!

> What if someone comes to the Website A, and only downloads half of the
> files? I'm distributing a complete copy, and I have no way to force the

Fine with that.

> Now what if I want to give my friend a copy of Koma-Script, but his
> computer can only use floppy disks? I'm using a really good compression
> algorithm, so I only need 3 disks. I randomly divide up the files onto
> three separate disks and give all three to him. I gave him a complete
> copy, so this seems okay. And if he later loses one of the disks, that
> cannot possibly be my fault, so that seems okay too.

Agreed.

> If I come to Website C and download all 3 zips, I have received a
> complete copy, so this seems fine. If I go to Website C and only
> download one of the files, Website C has done nothing wrong, so this
> still seems fine. But if I go to Website C, download only one file, then
> put just that file on my website, we're equivalent to Website B, which
> isn't okay.

I disagree here. The splitting into doc/src/run in TeX Live is rather a
technical decision than a distribution decision. Our intent is to
distribute koma-script according to the license, and that means that
every installation of koma-script contains source and documentation
files. Splitting it up on the technical side would mean we would ignore
the request of the author.

OTOH, I agree with you that it is a special case, but I am happy to
oblige to these rare special cases.

> My point here is that it would probably be *legally* okay for TeX Live
> to divide Koma-Script into three separate zips, just like it does with
> every other package.

Legally or not, nobody here will go to court, mostly due to costs.
It is the ***intention*** of the author that counts. And this is what
we wan to honor. If some individuals are not happy with that, I can't
care less, because my prime concern is for the authors of software who
dedicate incredible amounts of their free time to develop these tools.

> None of this matters at all since legality and morality are completely
> different. Markus has politely asked that we always distribute the
> documentation with Koma-Script. This may be perhaps eccentric, but it is
> both reasonable and understandable. The real downside that I can see is

^^^^ yes, this it is.

> I think that the multiuser questions are mostly a red herring here. It

I agree with that. I think it is actually independent of multi or single
user. The docs shoud be installed together with the run files, that it
is. Independent of multi/single.

> TeX Live bundling the source with the runtime files of Koma-Script is no
> different than Debian bundling Koma-Script with Memoir or Microtype or a

Well, Debian just takes what TL does (I know it because I packaged it),
so there is no "prior art" here ;-)

> and the issue of Debian+LPPL has already been discussed **extensively**.

Which is actually a separate issue.

> To be fair, the "no docs" switch is quite hidden. Someone could perhaps
> add additional warnings to the switch to dissuade users from using it,

I don't think we need more warnings. It is already hidden enough
(because we want people to install the documentation).

>    https://github.com/TeX-Live/texdoc/pull/79

Thanks for taking the initiative, Takuto will care for this for sure.

> > Until this time, we are honoring the license requests by authors.
> 
> This seems like the best decision to me. I see no reason to go against

Yup.

All the best

Norbert

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PREINING Norbert                              https://www.preining.info
Mercari Inc.     +     IFMGA Guide     +     TU Wien     +     TeX Live
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