Re: Is admin/unidata/copyright.html a free software license?

[Christopher Dimech]

> Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 12:52 AM
> From: "Eli Zaretskii" <eliz@gnu.org>
> To: "Ulrich Mueller" <ulm@gentoo.org>
> Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: Is admin/unidata/copyright.html a free software license?
>
> > From: Ulrich Mueller <ulm@gentoo.org>
> > Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
> > Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2023 14:48:51 +0200
> > 
> > >>>>> On Mon, 21 Aug 2023, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> > 
> > > This was indeed discussed, and the conclusion was that it's okay for
> > > us to distribute these files, and to distribute data based on those
> > > files as part of Emacs.
> > 
> > Could you point me to the previous discussion please?
> 
> No, it was not on a public forum.
> 
> > I don't disagree that these files can be distributed (at least
> > currently). However, merely being distributable is a much lower standard
> > than being free.
> 
> As you yourself say, correctly, these files contain data, not code,
> and the data is of the kind that hardly ever justifies copyright.
> 
> > >> I am also surprised that these lists in admin/unidata/ or, in general,
> > >> a character set can be copyrightable. (For example, everyone uses ASCII
> > >> without thinking about copyright of the underlying ANSI X3.4 standard.
> > >> The same applies to several much larger CJK character sets.)
> > 
> > > So therefore why are you raising this non-issue, from your POV?
> > 
> > But is it a non-issue? Why would Unicode claim copyright for these files
> > if they aren't copyrightable?
> 
> I have no idea.  Feel free to ask them.
 
The Unicode Consortium’s data files and software are globally and freely 
licensed 
under the Unicode License (https://www.unicode.org/license.txt).

Only the Unicode Code Charts are made available under their own specific and 
narrow
terms and conditions.

>> In the latter case, the problem isn't solved, because we still have:

>> > | Unicode, Inc. shall have the right to modify this Agreement
>> > | at any time by posting it to this website.

It does not matter whether they have the right to modify the agreement.
When you get the data files and software, you use the license that was
given to you at the time.  Thus no problems ensue.