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(maintain.info)License Notices

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License Notices
===============

   Every nontrivial file needs a license notice as well as the copyright
notice.  (Without a license notice giving permission to copy and change
the file, copying and modification are legally prohibited, and that
would make the file non-free.)

   Typically the license notice for program files (including build
scripts, configure files and makefiles) should cite the GPL, like this:

     This file is part of GNU PROGRAM

     GNU PROGRAM is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
     it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published
     by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your
     option) any later version.

     GNU PROGRAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
     WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
     MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
     General Public License for more details.

     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
     along with PROGRAM; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to the
     Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
     Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.

   But in a small program which is just a few files, you can use this
instead:

     This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
     modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
     published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
     License, or (at your option) any later version.

     This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
     but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
     MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
     General Public License for more details.

     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
     along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
     Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA
     02111-1307 USA.

   Documentation files should have license notices also.  Manuals should
use the GNU Free Documentation License.  Here is an example of the
license notice to use after the copyright notice.  Please adjust the
list of invariant sections as appropriate for your manual.  (If there
are none, then say "with no invariant sections".)

     Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
     under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
     any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
     Invariant Sections being "GNU General Public License", the Front-Cover
     texts being (a) (see below), and with the Back-Cover Texts being (b)
     (see below).  A copy of the license is included in the section entitled
     "GNU Free Documentation License".
     
     (a) The FSF's Front-Cover Text is:
     
          A GNU Manual
     
     (b) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is:
     
          You have freedom to copy and modify this GNU Manual, like GNU
          software.  Copies published by the Free Software Foundation raise
          funds for GNU development.
     
     You should have received a copy of the GNU Free Documentation License
     along with PROGRAM; see the file COPYING.DOC.  If not, write to
     the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston,
     MA 02111-1307, USA.

   If the FSF does not publish this manual on paper, then omit the last
sentence in (b) that talks about copies published by the FSF.  If the
FSF is not the copyright holder, then replace `FSF' with the
appropriate name.

   See <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl-howto.html> for more advice
about how to use the GNU FDL.

   If the manual is over 400 pages, or if the FSF thinks it might be a
good choice for publishing on paper, then please include our standard
invariant section which explains the importance of free documentation.
Write to <assign@gnu.org> to get a copy of this section.

   Note that when you distribute several manuals together in one
software package, their on-line forms can share a single copy of the
GFDL (see section 6).  However, the printed (`.dvi') forms should each
contain a copy of the GFDL, unless they are set up to be printed and
published only together.

   Small supporting files, short manuals (under 300 lines long) and
rough documentation (README files, INSTALL files, etc) can use simple
all-permissive licenses.

   If you would like help with license issues or with using the GFDL,
please contact <licensing@gnu.org>.