Re: Bug: JavaScript in HTML export not recognized by LibreJS as free [9.4.5 (9.4.5-16-g94be20-elpaplus @ /home/jorge/.config/emacs/elpa/org-plus-contrib-20210412/)]

[Tim Cross <theophilusx@gmail.com>]

Anthony Carrico <acarrico@memebeam.org> writes:

> On 4/20/21 12:55 AM, Tim Cross wrote:
>> The error from libreJS is correct - public domain is not a valid
>> license.
>
> Everyone is licensed to use public domain works (except to obtain a copyright on
> them). I think you mean that libreJS is working by design when it blocks them,
> which is apparently the case.

What I meant is that Public Domain is not a license - it means the
content cannot be copyrighted, which effectively means it is compatible
with a free license, but the content lacks a formal license. The CCO
also puts the content into the public domain, but also includes a formal
license as a fallback, which can be beneficial in some jurisdictions.   

>
>> As this is a GNU project and correct licensing is important...
>
> Emacs is a GNU project, but org-mode export is a document processor, and the
> goal here was to avoid including licensed content in an Author's exported
> documents.

Appreciate the intention. Perhaps we need to clarify what exactly we are
licensing here - the content or the Javascript added to the content to
facilitate presentation. The content should be covered by whatever
license the author prefers. The Javascript on the other hand, if
generated by Org, should probably be covered by the GPL as it is
'created' by org. If the document author has not written the Javascript,
I'm not sure they have the right to set the license on it, especially if
it was generated as part of software covered by the GPL.

The CC0 is appropriate for content which is in the public domain. It
is essentially equivalent to public domain, but with a fallback trivial
free license, which can be a useful addition in some jurisdictions.
However, it is less suitable for software (i.e. Javascript) because it
lacks any protection from patent trolling.

-- 
Tim Cross