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[debian-devel:17329] Re: ttf-togoshi-gothic_20071218-1_amd64.changes REJECTED



Hi,

I think Japanese FREE font saga needs some explanation and also I think
translation correction is needed for copyright.

FTP-MASTER's choices are:
 * accept ttf-togoshi-gothic which makes license situation better.

 * reject ttf-togoshi-gothic based on ambiguity of license on
   modification and live with worse quality font with the same
   non-optimally written license.

 * reject ttf-togoshi-gothic and drop ttf-kochi-gothic (and alike) and
   let Japanese have no free font but let them use evil msttcorefonts.

Here is some background.

This ttf-togoshi-gothic is different package name but practically
replacement of ttf-kochi-gothic.  Previous ttf-kochi-gothic fixed stolen
font data problem but had some aesthetic glitches if we wished to keep out
of non-free.  Supplemented data for this update from ttf-kochi-gothic to
ttf-togoshi-gothic fixes this situation and are created by a people
whose intention is clearly to create FREE Japanese font (although not
well documented in one place but web page discussion.) Thus letting this
package into Debian while obsoleting ttf-kochi-gothic etc. has positive
impact.  We all know ambiguity of original Wadalab font license remains
non-optimal.

Yamane-san, I see the content of so-called English translation of
license is quite different from the original Japanese license. (Was this
gotom-san's translation?)

The phrase "request you kindly..." sounds very strong requirement for
distribution in terms of DSFG.  But Japanese license structure is quite
different.

As for the English rejected license you shipped goes as:
>   The license of original Wadalab Gothic translation in English:  
> >       If you as an individual use the distribution as font as
> >       such, or convert it, there is no necessity to inform
> >       the Wadalab group. But in case you redistribute it, we
> >       request you kindly to forward a note to
> >       ftp.ipl.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp
> >       with the additional information of what has been altered.
> >       At that location we also plan to store the upgrade,
> >       to give the user the possibility to receive always
> >       the latest version.
> >       
> >       In case you want to point out mistakes in the outline
> >       of Kanjis or are not satisfied with the poor design,
> >       please do not hesitate to contact
> >       tanaka@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If I translate the original Japanese EUC one in ttf-kochi-gothic, it
goes as below.  (removing naga font references which does not apply for
this package.)

--
> The license of original Wadalab Gothic translation in English:  
> 
> There is no need to obtain permission from us when you, whether as a
> private person or as a corporation, use or distribute font as is or
> after the format conversion.  When you distribute font, you should
> document that font came from ftp.ipl.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp and what kind of
> conversions were applied in the attached document.  We plan to update
> font with newer version and we wish end-users of font to have access to
> the  latest version by themselves.
---
As I see http://togoshi-font.sourceforge.jp/ for license, there is one
more sentence.  Its translation goes as:
--
> If you find font glyph shape with mistakes or grossly bad design and
> wish to report it, please contact ktanaka at tanaka.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
--
It does not have reporting requirement (good) but it has no mention of
right to modify these data beyond format conversion (somewhat bad).

The thing is the original font has gone through manual optimization and
documented so.  Since it has gone through significant shape change with
these manual modification, the curse of ambiguity of the original
Wadalab font is significantly reduced.

Yamane-san, please update copyright file with correct translation of
license and re-upload.

ftp-master, please consider next upload of the family of font packages
as acceptable.  Please note that ttf-sazanami-gothic is in the same
situation.

Regards,

Osamu

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