List of software that does not respect the Free System Distribution Guidelines

These packages all present some kind of issue for distributions that are trying to follow the Free System Distribution Guidelines. Developers working on these distributions should take special care to make sure that these issues are addressed in one way or another. The list below includes package names, details about the problem and citations, and recommended strategies for addressing the issue as appropriate. The initial list comes from Trisquel, and should also match gNewSense filters, so it contains both Ubuntu specific packages and common ones too.

Please do not add a package to this list until it's been discussed on gnu-linux-libre and/or with RMS. Some corner cases can be tricky to decide, and it's good to take time and make sure we have the right decision before listing something. Thanks for your help with this.

aee

Description: ncurses text editor

Homepage:

Problem: Artistic license 1.0

Recommended Fix:

References: http://trisquel.info/en/issues/ee-142-artistic-license-10 Debian consider the artistic licence free, so no bug filed with them.

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): aee

afio

Description: afio manipulates groups of files, copying them within or between filesystems and an afio archive. Afio archives are portable as they contain only ASCII-formatted header information. Afio makes cpio-format archives. Afio deals somewhat gracefully with input data corruption. Afio supports multi-volume archives during interactive operation. Afio can make compressed archives that are much safer than compressed tar or cpio archives. Afio is best used as an `archive engine' in a backup script.

Homepage: http://freshmeat.net/projects/afio/

Problem: "It may not be sold at a profit." /afio/usr/share/doc/afio/copyright

Recommended Fix:

References: http://packages.ubuntu.com/hardy/afio http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=509287

Copyright file: http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/changelogs/pool/universe/a/afio/afio_2.5-5/afio.copyright

(Source) package name(s): afio

app-install-data-commercial

Description: 3rd party proprietary software supplied by Canonical.

Homepage:

Problem: Recommends non-free apps.

Recommended Fix:

References: http://packages.ubuntu.com/hardy/app-install-data-commercial

Copyright file: http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/changelogs/pool/main/a/app-install-data-commercial/app-install-data-commercial_9/app-install-data-commercial.copyright

(Source) package name(s): app-install-data-commercial

Audacious plugins

Description: Plugins for the Audacious audio player.

Homepage: http://audacious-media-player.org/

Problem: It contains code released under the MAME license.

Recommended Fix: Remove the psf code.

References: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=594519

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): audacious-plugins

b43-fwcutter

Description: Non-free firmware management utility (contrib)

Homepage:

Problem: Only useful to install non-free firmware

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00307

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): b43-fwcutter

bcm43xx-fwcutter

Description: Non-free firmware management utility (contrib)

Homepage:

Problem: Only useful to install non-free drivers

Recommended Fix:

References:

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): bcm43xx-fwcutter

blobwars, starfighter, viruskiller, blobandconquer

Description: Games by Parallel realities.

Homepage:

Problem: Includes artwork not properly licensed

Recommended Fix: versions shipped by debian are marked dfsg. from 1.08 for blobwars, 1.0-1 for viruskiller, 1.05 for blobandconquer. starfighter is only in oldstable, and will be removed completely soon.

References: http://www.happypenguin.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4725&highlight=

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): blobandconquer, blobwars, blobwars-data, starfighter, viruskiller

bnetd

Description: Gaming server that emulates Battle.net®

Homepage:

Problem: only useful with proprietary software

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00354 In one of its bugs are comments which seem to imply this is superceeded.

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): bnetd

boinc / boinc-app-seti

Description:

Homepage:

Problem: texfont.C and texfont.h license

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00362 http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=131997#71

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): boinc, boinc-app-seti

chromium-browser

Description: Freed version of googles Chrome Web browser

Homepage: http://www.chromium.org/Home

Problem: Copyright or license of some code is unclear, links to proprietary plugins.

Recommended Fix: Remove the package

References: http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=28291

Copyright file: http://src.chromium.org/viewvc/chrome/trunk/src/LICENSE?revision=HEAD&view=markup

(Source) package name(s): chromium-browser

chromium-bsu

Description: fast paced, arcade-style, scrolling space shooter

Homepage: http://chromium-bsu.sourceforge.net

Problem: older versions distributed under Artistic License 1.0

Recommended Fix: Debian, at least, has permission to distribute it under the Clarified Artistic License since version 0.9.14.1. Distribute that (or something based on it) and you're fine.

References: ver 0.9.13.2: http://packages.debian.org/changelogs/pool/main/c/chromium/chromium_0.9.13.2-1/chromium.copyright ver 0.9.14.1: http://packages.debian.org/changelogs/pool/main/c/chromium-bsu/chromium-bsu_0.9.14.1-1/copyright

Copyright file: http://chromium-bsu.sourceforge.net/LICENSE

(Source) package name(s): chromium, chromium-bsu, chromium-data

cia-clients

Description: scripts to talk to the CIA commit service.

Homepage:

Problem: contains a script for bitkeeper, which is only useful with proprietary software

Recommended Fix: remove bitkeeper script

References: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=552263

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): cia-clients

command-not-found

Description: command-not-found is the program sugesting what package to install if one tries to execute a non-installed application in a shell.

Homepage:

Problem: suggests proprietary software

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00364

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): command-not-found

cracklib2

Description: PAM plugin

Homepage:

Problem: used to be under Artistic License

Recommended Fix: under GPLv2 since 2005: http://cracklib.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/cracklib/trunk/cracklib/README-LICENSE?view=markup , upgrade to 2.8.11 or newer. http://packages.debian.org/changelogs/pool/main/c/cracklib2/current/copyright

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00109

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): cracklib2

d4x

Description: Graphical file downloader

Homepage:

Problem: Non-free license: "This Program is free but not GPL!!! You can't modify it [...]"

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00290

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): d4x

debian-reference

Description: Documentation for using the Debian system

Homepage:

Problem: suggests/instructs installing proprietary software

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00320

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): debian-reference

dosbox

Description: DOS compatible virtual machine.

Homepage:

Problem: package “dosbox” in archive contains non-free bits

Recommended Fix: update to 0.74 or later.

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00351

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): dosbox

ee

Description: ncurses text editor

Homepage:

Problem: Artistic license 1.0

Recommended Fix:

References: http://trisquel.info/en/issues/ee-142-artistic-license-10

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): ee

envyng-core envyng-gtk envyng-qt

Description: Installer for nVidias proprietary drivers (contrib)

Homepage:

Problem: Only used to install non-free software

Recommended Fix:

References: http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnewsense-users/2009-06/msg00004.html

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): envyng-core, envyng-gtk, envyng-qt

firefox

Description: Web browser

Homepage:

Problem: recommends non-free software

Recommended Fix: (use GNU IceCat, or equivalent)

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00227

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): firefox, firefox-3.0, firefox-3.5

fpc

Description: Free Pascal compiler.

Homepage: http://www.freepascal.org/

Problem: non-free software (and a copyright violation) Fixed, http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00288

Recommended Fix: 2.2.2 is required to make sure it's free

References: http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnewsense-dev/2009-06/msg00010.html

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): fpc

freedoom

Description: free game.

Homepage:

Problem: musical plagiarism

Recommended Fix: 2009-06-15: Freedoom 0.6.4 released. A copyright violation has been found in the Freedoom tree and has been removed. This is the only change from 0.6.3, but it removes much of the music. All previous versions are pulled from the download area at the moment since they were all tainted.

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00324

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): freedoom

gkrellm-snmp

Description:

Homepage:

Problem: links against openssl without exception

Recommended Fix: Upgrade to upstream 1.1 or Debian 1.0-1.2 (see debian bug report)

References: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=508292

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): gkrellm-snmp

GPL Ghostscript CMap data files

Description: Adobe CMap files for handling CJKV fonts. This is a component of GPL Ghostscript, a postScript interpreter and renderer

Homepage: http://www.ghostscript.com

Problem: license prohibits modification

Recommended Fix: GNU Ghostscript http://www.gnu.org/software/ghostscript/ghostscript.html

References: http://www.mail-archive.com/debian-legal@lists.debian.org/msg22474.html https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=487510

Copyright file: http://svn.ghostscript.com/ghostscript/trunk/gs/LICENSE

(Source) package name(s): ghostscript

gnome-app-install

Description: Browse and install software packages

Homepage:

Problem: Recommends nonfree software. Could be used if you prevent that from happening.

Recommended Fix: remove it, its considered deprecated upstream (eg http://packages.qa.debian.org/g/gnome-app-install.html )

References:

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): gnome-app-install

gstreamer0.10-pitfdll

Description: GStreamer loader for DLL codecs (contrib)

Homepage:

Problem: Those DLL codecs are nonfree

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00214

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): gstreamer0.10-pitfdll

helix-player

Description: Media player

Homepage:

Problem: Suggests that the user download the nonfree Real Player

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00100

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): helix-player

iceweasel

Description: firefox based web browser

Homepage:

Problem: same issues as firefox, incl. suggesting proprietary plugins

Recommended Fix: use gnu icecat

References:

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): iceweasel

isdnutils

Description: software to manage ISDN network connections

Homepage:

Problem: At the very least, eurofile/src/wuauth/sigfix.c has a license which prohibits commercial use. There is also code in the codebase that has advertising clauses; more investigation is needed to determine whether or not this conflicts with the GPL that covers most of the code. The package also contains sourceless firmware.

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=559425

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): isdnutils

ivman

Description: generic event handler for HAL events

Homepage:

Problem: The project is dual licensed, but there are concerns about how that dual licensing was done. Note also that the project is orphaned. If you really want to include it, though, it might be possible to find a good version to work from.

Recommended Fix:

References: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=208737#c18

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): ivman

jockey

Description: GUI driver manager software

Homepage:

Problem: Installs for propietary drivers (contrib)

Recommended Fix:

References:

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): jockey

libsmi2-common

Description:

Homepage:

Problem: libsmi ships MIB files licensed under a restrictive license

Recommended Fix: For debian packages, 0.4.8+dfsg2 and above should be freed of these files.

References: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=498476

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): libsmi

libsnmp-base

Description:

Homepage:

Problem: libsmi2-common contains a lot of MIB licensed under a restrictive license

Recommended Fix: For debian derivatives use 5.4.2.1-dfsg and higher.

References: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=498475

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): net-snmp

libxprintapputil

Description:

Homepage:

Problem: libxprintapputil does not refer to a free software license, not in the source code files nor in COPYING. So default copyright applies, which makes the package non-free.

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00336 http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=559448

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): libxprintapputil

linux linux-backports-modules* linux-ubuntu-modules

Description: The kernel Linux, and associated packages

Homepage:

Problem: Includes nonfree blobs

Recommended Fix: Use linux-libre instead

References: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-firmware/+bug/226646

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): linux, linux-2.*, linux-backports-modules*, linux-ubuntu-modules* linux-latest-2.6

linux-wlan-ng

Description: Utilities and integration scripts for certain wireless cards

Homepage:

Problem: These are only useful in conjunction with proprietary drivers for said cards

Recommended Fix:

References:

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): linux-wlan-ng

linux-firmware

Description: Proprietary Firmware blobs required for many wifi cards

Homepage:

Problem: Sourceless firmware.

Recommended Fix: Remove package(s)

References: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-firmware/+bug/179139

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): linux-firmware

lucida

Description: Bitmap fonts donated to the X Consortium many years ago

Homepage:

Problem: License is nonfree: only permits verbatim use

Recommended Fix:

References:

Copyright file:

mesademos

Description: Example programs using Mesa and OpenGL

Homepage:

Problem: Nonfree license on two files, progs/demos/pointblast.c and progs/demos/spriteblast.c: only allows distribution, not modification. This package is probably still useful without those specific demos, if you want to prepare that.

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00353 appears to be in debian oldstable only

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): mesademos

Mac-on-Linux emulator

Description: Allows running MacOS inside a GNU/Linux system.

Homepage:

Problem: Only runs/supports proprietary software.

Recommended Fix:

References: https://savannah.nongnu.org/bugs/index.php?28332

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): mol, mol-drivers-linux

Meta-packages

Description: Packages who's primary purpose is to depend on other (real) packages.

Homepage:

Problem: Dependencies on non-free packages.

Recommended Fix: Remove.

References:

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): kubuntu-meta, ubuntu-meta

moonlight

Description: implementation of Microsoft's Silverlight web application framework

Homepage: http://www.mono-project.com/Moonlight

Problem: recommends non-free software (Microsoft Media Pack)

Recommended Fix:

References: http://ossguy.com/?p=266

Copyright file: http://anonsvn.mono-project.com/viewvc/trunk/moon/LICENSE?view=co http://ossguy.com/moonlight/microsoft_media_pack_eula.xhtml

(Source) package name(s): moon

mp32ogg

Description:

Homepage:

Problem: under the Artistic License, which is non-free.

Recommended Fix:

References: https://savannah.nongnu.org/bugs/index.php?28952

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): mp32ogg

ndiswrapper, ndisgtk

Description: Lets Linux use NDIS drivers

Homepage:

Problem: With one exception, all NDIS drivers are nonfree--and the one free one is a Windows port of a native Linux driver. So right now, this isn't useful for anything besides using nonfree software--although that could theoretically change in the future.

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00236

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): ndiswrapper, ndisgtk

nikto

Description: Web server security scanner

Homepage:

Problem: The files in plugins/db_* have a very restrictive license. If the software's still usable without those, it looks like you could take those out and distribute what's left.

Recommended Fix:

References: http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2008/04/msg00026.html

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): nikto

nouveau-kernel-source

Description: DKMS source for the nouveau kernel modules

Homepage:

Problem: The package nouveau-kernel-source included in Ubuntu Karmic and Jaunty contains the drm modules for the linux kernel, which include several hexadecimal blobs. The non free pieces seem to be in the radeon, mga and nouveau drivers.

Recommended Fix:

References:

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): nouveau-kernel-source

nvidia-xconfig nvidia-settings

Description: Configuration tool for NVidia's proprietary video drivers

Homepage:

Problem: Only useful with nonfree software

Recommended Fix:

References:

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): nvidia-settings, nvidia-xconfig

OpenOffice.org

Description: Office suite.

Homepage: http://www.openoffice.org/

Problem: (1) Recommends non-free software. (extensions) (2) Has non-free components (Artistic License).

Recommended Fix: (1) Change link to point to the LibrePlanet list of extensions. (2) Remove the non-free components from source.

References: (1) http://savannah.nongnu.org/bugs/?29832 (2) http://savannah.nongnu.org/bugs/?29882

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): openoffice.org

pdftk

Description: PDF file manipulator

Homepage:

Problem: Sun proprietary code inside the package

Recommended Fix: Debian packages are free of this issue from 1.41+dfsg-1

References: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=236310#c0

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): pdftk

poppler CMap data files

Description: Adobe CMap files for handling CJKV fonts. This is a component of poppler, a PDF rendering library Note: not all GNU/Linux distributions split poppler-data from poppler (e.g. Fedora)

Homepage: http://poppler.freedesktop.org

Problem: license prohibits modification

Recommended Fix: GNU Ghostscript http://www.gnu.org/software/ghostscript/ghostscript.html

References: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=500132 http://www.mail-archive.com/debian-legal@lists.debian.org/msg22474.html https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=487510

Copyright file: http://webcvs.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler-data/COPYING?view=co

(Source) package name(s): poppler-data

pvpgn

Description:

Homepage:

Problem: pvpgn requires nonfree software to work, only useful with proprietary software

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00355

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): pvpgn

rman

Description: Converts man pages into other formats

Homepage:

Problem: Released under the original, nonfree Artistic license

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00291

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): rman

scribus-ng-doc

Description: Documentation for Scribus-ng

Homepage:

Problem: Released under Open Publication License and the author exercises the “LICENSE OPTIONS”

Recommended Fix:

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00300 debian changelog entry for the doc getting packaged for non-free

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): scribus-ng-doc

teeworlds

Description:

Homepage:

Problem: In the copyright file of teeworlds, the 4th item in the license: 4. Neither this software nor any of its individual components, in original or modified versions, may be sold by itself. Version 0.5.0 no longer contains this item.

Recommended Fix:

References: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/teeworlds/+bug/520003

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): teeworlds

texlive-base-bin - getnonfreefonts script

Description: TeX Live: Essential binaries These programs are regarded as basic for any TeX system.

Homepage: http://packages.ubuntu.com/search?searchon=contents&keywords=getnonfreefonts

Problem: This package includes a script that dowloads and installs non-free fonts, called getnonfreefonts.

Recommended Fix: The script can be safely removed. It has been removed from upstream as of 26 November 2009.

References: http://man.he.net/man1/getnonfreefonts http://packages.ubuntu.com/search?suite=jaunty&section=all&arch=any&searchon=contents&keywords=getnonfreefonts http://trisquel.info/en/issues/texlive-base-bin-tiene-un-guion-que-descarga-fuentes-no-libres-de-adobe

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): texlive-bin texlive-extra

Thunderbird

Description: Email client

Homepage: http://www.mozillamessaging.com/thunderbird/

Problem: Recommends non-free software (extensions).

Recommended Fix: Change link to point to GNUzilla's list of free addons.

References: http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00293

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): icedove, thunderbird

ubufox

Description: Firefox branding

Homepage:

Problem: Recommends nonfree plugins

Recommended Fix:

References:

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): ubufox

unrar

Description: Extracts RAR-format archives

Homepage:

Problem: Nonfree license

Recommended Fix:

References:

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): unrar-nonfree

vrms

Description: Purports to tell you about nonfree software on your system.

Homepage:

Problem: Incomplete and misleading.

Recommended Fix: Remove it, a free distribution doesn't need it.

References: http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnewsense-users/2007-02/msg00027.html

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): vrms

XChat

Description: IRC client.

Homepage: http://xchat.org/

Problem: Refers to a non-free browser in its URL handlers.

Recommended Fix: Remove the URL handler entry.

References: http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&aid=3043326&group_id=239&atid=350239

Copyright file:

(Source) package name(s): xchat

xv

Description: Image viewer.

Homepage:

Problem: License is "shareware for personal use only."

Recommended Fix:

References: http://www.trilon.com/xv/pricing.html

Copyright file: