Re: COPYLEFT SIGN

From: Michael Everson (everson@egt.ie)
Date: Mon May 15 2000 - 05:36:20 EDT


Ar 01:02 -0600 2000-05-15, scríobh Richard Stallman:
>We have used the practice of copyleft, and the name "copyleft", for 15
>years; the practice is now familiar to programmers around the world
>because of the widespread use of the GNU/Linux system.
>
>(The term "Copywrong" would not fit the meaning we have in mind.)

Obviously it wouldn't. I was being ironic.

The fact is that we translate "copyright" as "cóipcheart" not "cóipdheas",
and whatever concept it is that you are trying to convey with "copyleft" we
certainly can't simply translate it as *"cóipchlé". Translatability of
character names has been upheld by JTC1.

Therefore, since REVERSED COPYRIGHT SIGN is unambiguous and not inaccurate,
it should be preferred to COPYLEFT SIGN. Failing that, FREE COPYRIGHT SIGN
or some such nomen might be constructed, depending on what the symbol
actually refers to.

You can have "= copyleft" as a note in the Unicode standard, but I really
have problems with a term "familiar [only] to programmers around the world
because of the widespread use of the GNU/Linux system". I'd never heard of
it until you wrote to me, and I hang around with some Linux people.

Michael Everson ** Everson Gunn Teoranta ** http://www.egt.ie
15 Port Chaeimhghein Íochtarach; Baile Átha Cliath 2; Éire/Ireland
Vox +353 1 478 2597 ** Fax +353 1 478 2597 ** Mob +353 86 807 9169
27 Páirc an Fhéithlinn; Baile an Bhóthair; Co. Átha Cliath; Éire



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