Re: Invariant sections? GFPL

[danilo gnome org (Danilo Åegan)]

Hi Clytie,

Today at 15:30, Clytie Siddall wrote:

> However, my first contact with the GFPL has confused me a tad. I
> don't understand the function of the phrase "Invariant Sections" in
> this part of the copyright string:
> __________________________
> Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
> under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL), Version
> 1.1 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation
> with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover
> Texts. You can find a copy of the GFDL..."
> __________________________
> Now, invariant sections are sections which don't change. Why would
> these be prohibited? Would not changing information included in the
> licence be more of a concern? (Also, why are these terms capitalized?)

That's "legalese".  They are capitalised because they are defined in
GFDL, and it requires each document copyright notice to indicate if it
has any invariant sections (some document might have there "with
Invariant Sections 'Our Mothers' and 'Our Fathers'" if they have such
two invariant sections).  

You should translate them the same way you did in your GFDL
translation, though you'll probably need help either from a lawyer or
law student to translate that one :)

(GFDL is part of gnome-desktop docs translations as well)


Cheers,
Danilo