HC&A Report: "Haskell 98 Report" copyright

[Ketil Z. Malde]

Ian Lynagh <igloo@earth.li> writes:

> I note with some sadness the more restrictive license that may be placed
> on the "Haskell 98 Report", as reported by the HC&A.

I have a hard time imagining what this actually means.  The report, as
it is licensed now allows for:

> I have just grabbed a copy of the latest revised report under the
> current licence. AIUI I can continue to publish this under the current
> licence and [..] incorporate any fixes etc

So what exactly is it they want copyright to?  Obviously, they can
have the copyright to the *book* and it's layout and such (i.e., one
cannot xerox it), but the contents is already in the free, isn't it?

> assuming I change the name,

Do they get to own the name?

> I would really prefer it if such forking wasn't necessary

I'm not sure it would be forking, unless somebody plans on maintaining
CUP's "official" version for them.

> I must admit to not seeing what CUP would be getting
> out of it if this is so, though.

Exactly.  They can't really get an exclusive copyright to a document
that's free, can they?  Some publishers are mostly worried about
having the right to do what they will, rather than restricting
others. I think at any rate it's important to be up front with CUP
with this, so they know what's going to happen, so that they don't
feel cheated or mislead.

<strong opinion>
I'd love to have it in book form, but it's much more important to have
it freely available (e.g. in Debian).
</>

-kzm
-- 
If I haven't seen further, it is by standing in the footprints of giants