Why was this post censored?
If you are reading this, it's probably because you've clicked the link generated by the automatic word replacement tool in service on the forums.
What's the problem?
As a non-profit, open source project run by volunteers only, it is imperative that all steps are taken to reduce the risk of legal action being taken against the aptosid developers. Assessing this risk is a difficult task, with several factors that must be taken into account, including:
- source of the software being assessed
- laws surrounding the type of software being assessed
- laws of the country the server is hosted in, and how they relate to the software
- the outcome of discussions by other similar projects about the software
A censored post will most likely have included the name of a package considered too risky to be legally discussed on these forums.
Alternatively, since a core focus of the aptosid project is providing a safe and consistent upgrade path for the debian "Unstable" aka "sid" repository, it's possible that a word relating to tools, packages or processes which greatly increase the risk of compromising the stability of your system has been included in the censor list. This will only happen in extreme cases, with the more likely outcome being that a moderator or admin will move the thread to the Experimental section of the forums.
Can I discuss this anywhere?
In the case of software that is deemed too legally risky, the best place to go is to the irc channel and a friendly user can point you in the right direction.
For software deemed so unsafe for your system that it has been censored, there will be no aptosid support channel that will endorse or support it. It is critical you understand the risk you are taking, what the software does and how it can damage your system, and that it will make it much more difficult to get assistance from aptosid users and developers for future problems on this system.
Where can I get more information on the issue?
Unfortunately, links to legally problematic software are not allowed here, so you will need to do your own research.
Do not attempt to initiate a discussion on the forums, it will simply be censored or deleted again. Developers are contactable via the aptosid irc channels on OFTC, and this would be the more appropriate path.
But please bear in mind, developers enjoy writing software, not dissecting legal systems, so don't be upset if the reasons given are not as sufficiently detailed as you would like.
Thanks for using aptosid!