Editing Debian (section)

=== Repositories ===
The [[Debian Free Software Guidelines]] (DFSG) define the distinctive meaning of the word "free" as in "[[free and open-source software]]".<ref name="socialcontract">{{Cite web |title=Debian Social Contract |url=http://www.debian.org/social_contract |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217173758/http://www.debian.org/social_contract |archive-date=February 17, 2011 |access-date=2013-06-17 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> Packages that comply with these guidelines, usually under the GNU General Public License, [[BSD licenses#3-clause|Modified BSD License]] or [[Artistic License]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=License information |url=http://www.debian.org/legal/licenses/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720142826/https://www.debian.org/legal/licenses/ |archive-date=July 20, 2017 |access-date=2009-02-28 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> are included inside the ''main'' area;<ref name="distributions">{{Cite web |title=Chapter 4. Resources for Debian Developers |url=http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/developers-reference/resources.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025010313/http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/developers-reference/resources.html |archive-date=October 25, 2008 |access-date=2008-10-31 |website=Debian Developer's Reference |publisher=Debian}}</ref> otherwise, they are included inside the ''non-free'' and ''contrib'' areas. These last two areas are not distributed within the official installation media, but they can be adopted manually.<ref name="socialcontract" />

Non-free includes packages that do not comply with the DFSG,<ref name="debian-policy">{{Cite web |date=2013-10-28 |title=Chapter 2 – The Debian Archive |url=http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-archive.html#s-sections |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713200533/http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-archive.html#s-sections |archive-date=July 13, 2014 |access-date=2014-07-09 |website=Debian Policy Manual |publisher=Debian |df=mdy-all}}</ref> such as documentation with invariant sections and [[proprietary software]],<ref>{{Cite web |year=2006 |title=General Resolution: Why the GNU Free Documentation License is not suitable for Debian main |url=http://www.debian.org/vote/2006/vote_001#amendmenttexta |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629002111/https://www.debian.org/vote/2006/vote_001#amendmenttexta |archive-date=June 29, 2014 |access-date=2014-07-02 |publisher=Debian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Package: fglrx-driver (1:12-6+point-3) &#91;non-free&#93; |url=https://packages.debian.org/stable/fglrx-driver |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714200624/https://packages.debian.org/stable/fglrx-driver |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |access-date=2014-07-02 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> and legally questionable packages.<ref name="debian-policy" /> Contrib includes packages which do comply with the DFSG but fail other requirements. For example, they may depend on packages which are in non-free or requires such for building them.<ref name="debian-policy" />

[[Richard Stallman]] and the [[Free Software Foundation]] have criticized the Debian project for hosting the non-free repository and because the contrib and non-free areas are easily accessible,<ref name="Explaining Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems" /><ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Stallman |first=Richard |title=Re: Debian vs gNewSense – FS criteria |mailing-list=gnuherds-app-dev |date=2007-10-06 |url=https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/gnuherds-app-dev/2007-10/msg00049.html |access-date=2014-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714142657/https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/gnuherds-app-dev/2007-10/msg00049.html |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=lists.nongnu.org |quote=What makes Debian unacceptable is that its inclusion of non-free software is not a mistake. |author-link=Richard Stallman}}</ref> an opinion echoed by some in Debian including the former project leader Wichert Akkerman.<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Akkerman |first=Wichert |title=Moving contrib and non-free of master.debian.org |mailing-list=debian-vote |date=1999-06-21 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/1999/06/msg00043.html |access-date=2014-08-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720100552/https://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/1999/06/msg00043.html |archive-date=July 20, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref> The internal dissent in the Debian project regarding the non-free section has persisted,<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Wise |first=Paul |title=non-free? |mailing-list=debian-vote |date=2014-03-22 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/2014/03/msg00224.html |access-date=2014-08-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084518/https://lists.debian.org/debian-vote/2014/03/msg00224.html |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref> but the last time it came to a vote in 2004, the majority decided to keep it.<ref name="nonfreeremovalvote">{{Cite web |year=2004 |title=General Resolution: Status of the non-free section |url=http://www.debian.org/vote/2004/vote_002 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008234847/http://www.debian.org/vote/2004/vote_002 |archive-date=October 8, 2009 |access-date=2009-09-28 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>