On Sat, 22 Apr 2000, Richard Stallman wrote:

Are you the chief maintainer of GRX? And should we consider it a package of GNU software?

Well. I didnŽt really maintain GRX for about 2 years now. Since no one did active and public maintance since then, I might still be what you call the Žchief maintainerŽ, but I wonŽt do major active maintaince now or in future. (I promised Peter Gerwinski to integrate the BCC2GRX compatibility lib for Borland graphics interface API [BGI])

There were several requests on the GRX mailing list for this vacancy but ...

I read through my GRX email archive this easter and noticed 2 or 3 people I could directly ask to take over maintance. WeŽll see.

Here's

an explanation of what it means for a program >to be GNU software:

====================================================================== Calling a program GNU software means that its developers and the GNU project agree that "This program is part of the GNU project, released under the aegis of GNU"--and say so in the program.

GRX definitly needs some bug fixes, changing the source and the docs to include this message should be quite easy

This means that we normally put the program on ftp.gnu.org (although we could instead refer to the developer's choice of ftp site) and that we put the official pages describing the program on the GNU web server. (It is ok to have more informal pages about secondary issues, such as discussion meant for people who want to help develop the package, on some other site.)

ItŽs know on WWW (www.gnu.de/grx) and on the simtel ftp server (DJGPP package). Moving it to an offical GNU ftp server would require some work on configuration, see below.

It means that the developers agree to pay some attention to making the program work well with the rest of the GNU system--and conversely that the GNU project will encourage other GNU maintainers to pay some attention to making their programs fit in well with it.

Just what it means to make programs work well together is mainly a practical matter that depends on what the program does. But there are a few general principles. Certain parts of the GNU coding standards directly affect the consistency of the whole system. These include the standards for configuring and building a program, and the standards for command-line options. It is important to make all GNU programs follow these standards, where they are applicable.

autoconf support is currently missing.

A GNU program should not recommend use of any non-free program, and it should not refer the user to any non-free documentation for free software. The need for free documentation to go with free software is now a major focus of the GNU project; to show that we are serious about the need for free documentation, we must not contradict our position by recommending use of documentation that isn't free.

Occasionally there are issues of terminology which are important for the success of the GNU project as a whole. So we ask maintainers of GNU programs to follow them. For example, the documentation files and comments in the program should speak of Linux-based GNU systems or GNU/Linux systems, rather than calling the whole system "Linux", and should use the term "free software" rather than "open source".

documentation for the GRX graphics library currently ist outdated (still v1.x doc), needs some work to add doc to the source that can be converted by something like doxygen (is it free?)

Deciding that a program is GNU software does not necessarily require transferring copyright to the FSF; that is a separate question. If you transfer the copyright to the FSF, the FSF will enforce the GPL for the program if someone violates it; if you keep the copyright, enforcement will be up to you.

Nearly all contributed agreed on assigning GRX to the FSF. Sadly I didnŽt manage to contact Ulrich Leodolter. Ulrich did the X11 port :( IŽll try again next rainy day ...

Summary: - GRX isnŽt ready to be called GNU software (autoconf & docs missing) - GRX isnŽt activley maintained - GRX including the X11 dricer copyright canŽt be assigned to FSF, GRX without the X11 driver canŽt be called GNU software