Michael Tiemann (tiemann(a)redhat.com) said:
* Source and License. Is source code included with the package? If
not, does the package need and deserve a "binary-only exception"? If
source is available with the package, is the license governing the
entire package open source (i.e., OSD-compliant)? If so, is it also
free software? [Meets OSS and/or Free Software criteria for Fedora]
Well, the overarching definition of Core and Extras as originally
defined was that there were *no* binary exceptions.
Common Fedora collection guidelines are as follows:
First, all packages destined for any Fedora colletion must meet, for our
own protection and sanity, the following standards:
Open source and/or Free Software
Shippable from the USA
Meets other applicable US law (dual use, gambling, patent)
Not of an adult only nature
Building rules to meet policy above
Active maintenance and release of code
Must keep record/inform us of cryptography uses
CVS committers to have signed needed paperwork
Changes should always be pushed upstream when possible
Active involvement with upstream packages
Upstream view strongly favoured in maintainer choices
Does not cause gratuitous offence (including in other countries)
[ie nazi deathcamp pacman is out, but non gratuitous stuff
like alcohol related software shouldn't be]
(?)We host build CVS for packaging not packages themselves normally
Project maintains web pages in the standard format
Project maintains a signing key securely and a web page for it
Project page content has any required footers/header notices
Project keeps any seperate content/discussion board etc on its
own site and clearly distinguishable from the hosting pages
This is good, but once you get to the latter few, you've gotten to the
point where we have no software. :)
Fedora Extras: the maximal universe of packages that
* include all Fedora Core packages
* meet open source and legal requirements
* are 100% consistent with Fedora Core
* are 100% consistent (not conflicting) with each other
* preference for packages that are state-of-the-art
* preference for packages that have strong community support
Fedora Extras can be viewed as what Fedora Core would be if there were
no limits on the number or size of packages.
It's not just this. For example, Fedora Extras is more a target for
niche packages, whether it's a frobnicator for the MegaFrobozz PCI
card, or specialized biomedical imaging software.
Fedora Addons: packages that are consistent with Fedora Core, but
not
necessarily all of Fedora Extras. This might be the one place where OSS
requirements are overlooked, in which case this may be the collection
where binary-only packages find their home(s). But that remains to be
debated (i.e., we may want to never confuse people about what "Fedora",
in all its incarnations, means).
The biggest issue here is that 'Addons' that don't fit the Core
or Extras profile mainly fall into two categories:
- can't ship because of free/OSS rules
- can't ship because of patent and other legal rules
The latter of those *cannot* be branded as Fedora(tm), and the
former really is a very small case.
Fedora Desktop: a subset of Fedora Extras that provide all useful
Desktop applications (Web browser, Email client, Word Processor,
Spreadsheet, Presentation Software, Image Editing and Viewing Software,
etc). This subset may also be a subset, superset, or a non-proper
superset of Fedora Core.
* if needed, can be "upgraded" to Fedora Core via a network
connection by issuing the appropriate command
* preference to include packages needed to support a "managed"
and "secure" desktop environment
* preference to avoid other packages not likely useful to a
"typical" desktop user
* preference to limit total packages to a minimal number of CDs
The desktop really should be a subset of Fedora Core. If a specific
need for something isn't satisfied for Core, it should be in Core.
Fedora Alternatives and Fedora Legacy: defined externally. To first
approximation, Fedora Alternatives are collections that meet OSS
guideliness but do not meet Fedora Core and/or Fedora Extras
compatibility requirements.
As originally defined, Alternatives is for alternative versions of
Core or Extras software, and Legacy is maintenance for previous
Core releases.
Bill