CHECK-DFSG-STATUS(1)

📦 version 1.36, in debian bookworm, debian trixie, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💖 check-dfsg-status(1) 💖

okay bestie, welcome to the General Commands Manual section, we're doing check-dfsg-status today and honestly? it's giving ✨software morality✨. let's go.

🌸 NAME 🌸

check-dfsg-status — report of installed non-free software

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

check-dfsg-status [OPTION] ...

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

okay so. this program started out as an attempt to build a "virtual Richard M. Stallman" for Debian GNU/Linux. that's literally where the name came from. iconic origin story, no cap.

so what it actually does: it analyzes the currently-installed package list on a Debian GNU/Linux system, and reports the non-free and contrib packages that are currently installed, straight to stdout. 🫶

now, in some cases — like documentation licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License with invariant sections — the opinions of Richard M. Stallman and the Debian project have diverged since this program was originally written. awkward? a little. so in those cases, this program follows the definition of freedom embodied in the Debian Free Software Guidelines. periodt.

the packages in the non-free tree have restrictions on their use and/or distribution which cause them to fail to meet the terms of the Debian Free Software Guidelines included as part of the Debian Social Contract. but lowkey? some of them are sufficiently useful that their presence is often tolerated by Debian users despite their licensing. we're not judging, we're just reporting. 🙈

the packages in the contrib tree are themselves free software, but they have some dependency on non-free software for their use. that makes them worthy of reporting too, so their use can also be consciously considered. vibe check your dependency tree, bestie. 💀

Richard is the most vocal among us on the issue of software morality, and we agree with Richard that Debian users should have an easy way to know when they are running non-free software on their systems. this program is our attempt to fill that need. 💖

✨ OPTIONS ✨

heads up! all options can be prefixed with -- (eg: --noexplain) to turn them off. yes, that's a thing. slay.
  • -q, --quiet — Do nothing if there are no non-free packages installed. silence, but make it respectful. 🤫
  • -e, --explain — Give a brief explanation of why each package is non-free, if available. This is the default. she explains, because she cares. 💅
  • -s, --sparse — Just output a list of non-free packages. no commentary, just the receipts. 📋
  • --reason-dir=DIR — Use DIR as the reason directory, instead of /usr/share/check-dfsg-status/reasons/. relocate the lore. 🎀
  • -h, --help — Display help. bestie behaviour fr fr. 🫶
  • -d, --debug — Generate debugging information. for when the vibe is off and we need to know why. 🔥

🎀 FILES 🎀

  • /usr/share/check-dfsg-status/reasons — Default source of explanations for why packages are non-free. this is the ✨lore archive✨.

🌈 HISTORY 🌈

this program was written by Bdale Garbee and Bill Geddes for the Debian GNU/Linux system, in response to an open discussion with Richard Stallman about the issues surrounding the availability/desirability of the 'non-free' package tree in Debian.

it was originally named 'vrms' — iconic name, honestly — but for the reasons outlined in #962696 it was renamed to 'check-dfsg-status'. glow-up. rebrand. main character arc. 👑

A Cute Little Hack 🧚 — that's the vibe this page was signed off with, alongside CHECK-DFSG-STATUS(1). consider yourself fully briefed, bestie. go check your packages. 💜🦋🌸

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